By the turn of the 1990s, Western democracy appeared destined to become the universal governmental norm. However, as we move into the new millennium there are growing signs that extremism is far from dead. In recent years, the extreme right has gathered notable support in many Western countries, such as Austria, France and Italy. Racist violence, initially aimed at 'immigrants', is on the rise, and in the US, and increasingly in Europe, the state itself has become a major target. This book considers the varying trajectories of the 'extreme right' and 'populist' parties and focuses on the problems of responses to these trends, an issue which has hitherto been neglected in academic literature.

A Note on the Contributors List of Abbreviations Preface Roger Eatwell and Cas Mudde Acknowledgements Roger Eatwell and Cas Mudde Introduction: The New Extreme Right Challenge Roger Eatwell Part 1: Right Wing-Extremism in Contemporary Democracies 1. Between Adaptation, Differentiation and Distinction: The Extreme Right in Austria, Belgium, France and Italy Alexandre Dézé 2. The American Extreme Right: The 1990s and Beyond Mark Potok 3. The Extreme Right in Britain: the Long Road to Modernization Roger Eatwell Part 2: Democratic Responses to Right-Wing Extremism 4. Defence of Democracy against the Extreme Right in Inter-war Europe: A Past Still Present? Giovanni Capoccia 5. Defending Contemporary Democracy and the Extreme Right: A Comparative Study of the USA, Germany and Israel Ami Pedahzur 6. Institutional Inclusion and Exclusion of Extreme-Right Wing Parties in Austria, Germany and France Laurent Kestel and Laurent Godmer 7. The Diversified Approach: Swedish Responses to the Extreme Right Anders Widfeldt 8. Right-Wing Extremism in the Land of the Free: Repression and Toleration in the USA George Michael Conclusion: Defending Democracy and the Extreme Right Cas Mudde Index