Investigating Right-Wing Extremism in Former East Germany
Voiceover
Presenter(s)
Rachell Orce
Presentation accessible on Google Drive:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wLoxberIZu_T9hD-lsU6i2NXcou9npHf/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105371760328640146886&rtpof=true&sd=true
Abstract or Description
This research project investigates the rise of far-right extremist politics in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). Right-wing extremism is experiencing an upsurge across Europe and parties with clear xenophobic and anti-European Union tendencies continue to gain support. Right-wing extremism is therefore not just a German but a European phenomenon. At the same time, right-wing extremism poses a great problem specifically in the east of Germany. It is essential to comprehend the bases and historical dimension of right-wing extremism in the former GDR in order to better understand contemporary right-wing extremism and its continued rise. While current theories on the subject provide valuable information, they do not adequately
explain the phenomenon. This project seeks to identify the most salient factors leading to the rise of the right in eastern Germany. I will be consulting secondary literature and creating an annotated bibliography, which will serve as the basis for conducting on-site research in Germany during the summer of 2022.
Mentor
Dr. Andrea Meyertholen