The Ethics of Researching the Far Right - (Racism, Resistance and Social Change) (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

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.

From the Back Cover

'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.'
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.'
Michal Krzyzanowski, Professor, Uppsala University

'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

This book offers a critical starting point for discussions on how to research the far right ethically, a topic that raises a number of urgent issues. Rejecting the idea of neutrality in research, the collection makes it explicit that this research is always political. Lived experience and reflexivity are key to this book, whether it is the many years spent grappling with the ethical dilemmas posed by researching and engaging with and against the far right, how to simply start in light of the practical and psychological barriers imposed by various actors and ourselves, or how to remain in service to and solidarity with the communities at the sharp end of such politics. Beyond explicitly ethical questions, this book also offers a critical intervention into the field of research on the far right to address issues such as racism, sexism, white supremacy, colonialism, and positionality, which must be core to any ethical approach to social research.

This collection makes a practical contribution to researching the far right, and the range of contributors, issues, and approaches provide a broad applicability for researchers broadly understood. As such, it will be valuable to anyone interested in researching, understanding, and combating the far right.

Review Quotes

'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)

About the Author

Antonia Vaughan is a researcher in Politics at the University of Bath
Joan Braune is Lecturer in Philosophy at Gonzaga University
Meghan Tinsley is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester
Aurelien Mondon is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Bath