Antifa without fascism: the reasons behind the anti-fascist movement in Ireland
Arlow, JonathanORCID: 0000-0003-0734-1310
(2020)
Antifa without fascism: the reasons behind the anti-fascist movement in Ireland.
Irish Political Studies, 35
(1).
pp. 115-137.
ISSN 0790-7184
The anti-fascist movement is generally viewed as a reaction to the extreme right by concerned left-wing activists. Therefore we would not expect the Antifa to feature in countries where extreme right activism is not a feature of the politics. However, Ireland has no significant extreme right but it still has an anti-fascist movement that plays an influential role within radical left circles. By treating Ireland as an outlier in relation to the existing reactive explanation for anti-fascist mobilisation this paper takes a deviant case analysis approach to generate novel hypotheses behind the reasons for the anti-fascist movement. First, anti-fascism acts as a site of left convergence, an area of unity that transcends the usual ideological divisions that can impede other types of political collaboration in a fragmented radical left activist base. Second, in the absence of effective extreme right forces, anti-fascism acts as a form of prophylactic action. In effect, the aim of this activism is to deny political space to extreme right micro groups before they become a popular force or a more serious political threat. Finally, a close cultural lineage between elements within the left and a past revolutionary tradition will increase the appeal of anti-fascist activism among left-wing activists.
Metadata
Item Type:
Article (Published)
Refereed:
Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Antifa; Militant anti-fascism; Right-wing extremism; Radical left; Irish
Republicanism; Political activism; Political violence; Social movements; Immigration