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Antifa without fascism: the reasons behind the anti-fascist movement in Ireland

Arlow, Jonathan orcid logoORCID: 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

Abstract
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
Subjects:Social Sciences > Political science
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Law and Government
Publisher:Taylor & Francis
Official URL:https://doi.org/10.1080/07907184.2019.1570139
Copyright Information:© 2020 Taylor & Francis
Funders:Dublin City University Postgraduate Publication Scheme
ID Code:28230
Deposited On:14 Apr 2023 08:39 by Jonathan Arlow . Last Modified 14 Apr 2023 08:39
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