Youth Activism in the Radical Right of Brazil and Germany

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of radical right youth activism in Brazil and Germany, examining the complex pathways of political engagement through innovative biographical and narrative research. By exploring the tensions between democratic and anti-democratic practices, the study reveals how young activists navigate political landscapes, uncovering the intricate relationships between conservative discourses, neoliberalism, and political identity formation.

Drawing on political psychology and post-structuralist approaches, the author challenges traditional interpretations of youth political participation. Combining in-depth interviews and comparative analysis, the book sheds light on the motivations, discourses, and mechanisms that have driven and sustained their engagement. By offering a comparative perspective, it reveals both the specific national dynamics and the transnational patterns that characterize radical right youth activism today.

Youth Activism in the Radical Right of Brazil and Germany: On the Thresholds of Politics is essential for scholars of psychology, politics and sociology, as well as for students and policymakers seeking to understand the growing youth engagement in radical right-wing movements and its challenges for contemporary democracy..

The original manuscript of this book was written in Brazilian Portuguese and translated into English with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.

Explores radical right youth activism through a groundbreaking Brazil-Germany comparative lens Reveals youth political engagement through innovative combination of biographical reconstruction and narrative analysis Adopts a qualitative approach to understand political radicalization by analyzing individual life trajectories.

Autorentext

Beatriz Besen is a psychologist and researcher with an interdisciplinary background. Her research explores youth political participation, offering insights into the connections between youth, local and global radical right and political discourses.

She holds a Ph.D. in Social Change and Political Participation from the University of São Paulo (USP), and two master's degrees one in Social Psychology from USP and another in State, Government, and Public Policies from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for the Study of Violence at USP, Beatriz has conducted research at prestigious institutions, including Goethe University in Frankfurt, Humboldt University in Berlin, and the Center for Discourse Studies in Barcelona.

With a deep commitment to scientific production and dissemination, she seeks not only to analyse but also to translate and communicate complex themes to diverse audiences. She has contributed to national and international academic publications and major Brazilian media outlets. Recognized for her scholarly achievements, her dissertation has received honorable mentions from the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP) and the 13th University São Paulo Thesis Award.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. (De/Re)constructing knowledge about the radical right in Brazil and Germany.- Chapter 3. Comparing discourses, identities, and meanings of political participation.- Chapter 4. (Re)constructing the trajectories of political participation from the biographies of young activists.- Chapter 5. (De)constructing narratives into thematic categories.- Chapter 6. Final Considerations.