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When political 'extremists' - organized into parties that compete openly and successfully in democratic elections - enter the conventional institutional arena, how do mainstream actors react? This book deals with understanding how democracies respond to party-based extremism and with what consequences.

How do democracies resolve the paradox of having to tolerate the intolerant in their midst?€ Specifically, when political "extremists"--Organized into parties that compete openly and successfully in democratic elections - enter the conventional institutional arena, how do mainstream actors react? Established democracies founded on principles of free voice and open competition typically struggle with how best to cope with pariah parties that ostensibly play by the rules of the democratic game but then espouse exclusive and rejectionist positions. Cross-national evidence demonstrates significant variation in responses to pariah parties, from outright bans to calculated disregard. The results of those actions appear to likewise vary in dramatic ways.€ While considerable research has been published looking at the historical, sociological, and economic conditions that help explain the resurgence and persistence of party-based extremism (especially the far-right variant) in western democracies, we presently know remarkably little about the relationship between democracy and efforts to combat extremism.€ This book deals with understanding how democracies respond to party-based extremism and with what consequences

Observers of elections in European democracies increasingly encounter the assertion that campaigns and candidacies have become poisoned by a creeping 'Americanisation'. When a comedian in Denmark, a professional wrestler in Finland, or a porn star in Italy enjoys electoral success by appealing to least-common-denominator populism the lament coming from academic and journalistic quarters is typically the same-the US style of politics has, unfortunately, arrived. The literature supporting such pejorative claims is, however, largely anecdotal, usually atheoretical, and almost exclusively directed at national-level elections. Building upon theories of diffusion at the intersection of comparative politics and international relations-and drawing upon individual-level survey data from elections to the Scottish Parliament-this article evaluates the merits and consequences of the Americanisation thesis. Results suggest the importance of uncertainty as a force driving candidates and parties to learn from and adopt 'American' campaign strategies and tactics. Adapted from the source document.

This article aims (1) to describe & classify alternative strategic responses to successful extremist parties & (2) to draw inferences about the relative success of alternative antiextremist strategies from the experiences of four European countries. While it is evident that no single strategy holds the key to combating the far Right, the evidence from Belgium, France, Denmark, & Norway suggests that so-called "constructive engagement" strategies rather than "clean hands" strategies have led -- & therefore can lead -- to greater success. "Doing the right thing," by erecting a cordon sanitaire around a far Right party -- as has been done most dramatically in Antwerp -- may be politically correct, adhere to the advice of most antiracism groups, & give mainstream politicians the ability to present their clean hands to the voters; however, doing the right thing often yields unintended & undesired consequences. 1 Figure, 19 References. Adapted from the source document.