Researching the far right: towards an ethics of talking ‘about’

Brown, Katy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5405-2322 (2024) Researching the far right: towards an ethics of talking ‘about’. In: The ethics of researching the far right: critical approaches and reflections. Racism, Resistance and Social Change . Manchester University Press, Manchester, pp. 379-390. ISBN 9781526173874 (hardback); 9781526173898 (ebook); 9781526173881 (paperback)

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Abstract

The far right has become a hugely popular area of research, yet there has been limited engagement with the specific ethical implications posed by studying these groups. With the way that academia can contribute to the political dynamics for which it offers interpretations, there is an urgent need to deal with these questions and reflect on our practices. Such considerations take on particular significance in the context of the mainstreaming of the far right that we see today. Not only have some far-right parties enjoyed greater electoral success, but there are many examples of far-right discourse becoming normalised in mainstream circles. It is not simply far-right groups that are responsible for such shifts but those at the heart of what is considered ‘mainstream’, whether that be prominent politicians, media outlets, or other popular figures such as authors, sportspeople, and celebrities defending exclusionary positions. Academia too is implicated in these processes, with different levels of consciousness and reflection in this regard. This chapter focuses on developing an ethics of talking ‘about’ the far right, whereby the way that we disseminate our findings forms a key area of reflection. The lens of mainstreaming offers a way for us to visualise the role that academia may play when talking ‘about’ the far right, using the case of the populist hype to evidence some potential pitfalls. By engaging with these questions, it is hoped that we can start to build towards a more comprehensive ethics of talking ‘about’ the far right within academia.