Nationalisms and radical politics

This panel explores the role of nationalist attitudes and discourses in shaping support for radical political parties and nontraditional policy options. Nationalist sentiment is a dynamic force across ideologies, from cultural and ethnic to civic and economic nationalism, each activating distinct visions of identity and sovereignty. As global challenges intensify, nationalist rhetoric increasingly influences support for radical policy approaches, with nationalism serving both as a mobilising tool for political actors and a lens through which citizens interpret their socio-economic context and endorse political choices. Nationalism can be a double-edged sword. It can help as a unifying framework for collective identity and action, as well as weaponised to support simplistic accounts of reality and demonise internal and external ‘others.’
This panel combines qualitative analysis of political discourse with quantitative survey data to examine how nationalist narratives resonate across ideological divides, often aligning with unconventional policy solutions. Through discourse analysis, we can dig into how political actors use nationalist themes to legitimise radical stances, broadening their appeal within polarised electorates. Survey analysis provides insights into citizens' values and attitudes, highlighting the demographic and psychological factors that underlie nationalist orientations and their correlation with support for populist and other types of radical parties and policies. Our interdisciplinary approach allows us to dissect how different forms of nationalism—civic, economic, and ethnic—are strategically invoked to address perceived security, economic and cultural threats and mobilise public opinion.