The Ethics of Researching the Far Right: Critical Approaches and Reflections

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

At a time when far, radical, and extreme-right politics are becoming increasingly mainstream globally - sometimes with deadly consequences - research in these fields is essential to understand the most effective ways to combat these dangerous ideologies.

Yet engaging with texts and movements that do physical and verbal violence raises a number of urgent ethical issues. Until recently, this has remained understudied, as scholarship on the far right rarely delves explicitly and critically into the ethics of research.

This book seeks to remedy this significant gap in an otherwise extensive and growing literature. Originating from a workshop series in 2020, in which an international group of academics at various career stages shared the ethical challenges and best practices they had developed in their research, this edited collection draws together insights from these ongoing conversations, offering urgent critical reflections on key ethical issues.

Reviews

'The ethics of researching the Far Right is perhaps the first investigation into the moral responsibility we have in documenting the threat that fascism presents. This expertly edited volume is one of the most important interventions ever made into this field and should be required reading for anyone documenting the far-right.'
Shane Burley, author of Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism


'A timely and much needed collection. It highlights the ongoing necessity - as well as the huge complexity - of reflective and critical research on the contemporary far right, especially as it becomes increasingly normalised and mainstreamed. A fantastic resource for scholars and students conducting systematic research on the far right across a wide range of social science disciplines.'
Professor Michal Krzyzanowski, Uppsala University, Sweden


'At last! A straight-on discussion of ethical quagmires in studies of the far-right, and a guide to navigating issues of political impact, safety, terminology, and more. A must-read for scholars and students.'
Kathleen Blee, co-author of Out of Hiding: Extremist White Supremacy and How It Can Be Stopped (2024)

Author Bio

Antonia Vaughan is a PhD student in Politics at the University of Bath.
Joan Braune is Lecturer in Philosophy at Gonzaga University.
Meghan Tinsley is Presidential Fellow in Sociology at the University of Manchester.
Aurelien Mondon is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Bath.