The courage to look elsewhere

The author analyzes the ascent of far-right populism in Europe and globally, attributing its success to the exploitation of economic insecurities and the use of 'culture wars' to fuel cultural panic. The text highlights how mainstream parties have assimilated far-right stances, particularly on immigration and climate policy. It positions political ecology as a radical alternative and argues that the most effective way to confront the far right is to mobilize majorities around a desired progressive world rather than centering the narratives of the right.

• The far right has expanded its influence globally and within Europe, with hard-right parties now participating in governments in more than 25% of EU member states and the 2024 European Parliament elections resulting in the most right-wing body in history.
• Right-wing populism capitalizes on socioeconomic insecurities—such as housing, healthcare, and unemployment crises—and uses 'cultural panic' and 'culture wars' to mask internal divisions and its pro-elite record.
• Mainstream political forces and governments have increasingly assimilated far-right positions, particularly regarding the reintroduction of border controls and the criminalization of climate activists.
• Political ecology is presented as a fundamental alternative to the far right's hierarchy-based order, though it has become a primary target for the right, which frames Green policies as punitive or authoritarian.

APA

Giussani, A. (2024). The courage to look elsewhere. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-courage-to-look-elsewhere/

Chicago

Giussani, Alessio. The courage to look elsewhere. Green European Journal, 2024. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-courage-to-look-elsewhere/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Giussani |first1=Alessio |title=The courage to look elsewhere |publisher=Green European Journal |date=5 December 2024 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-courage-to-look-elsewhere/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{giussani2024courage, author = {Giussani, Alessio}, title = {{The courage to look elsewhere}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/the-courage-to-look-elsewhere/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }