Citizens' Activism and Solidarity Movements: Contending with Populism (Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology)

This book explores the activism and solidarity movements formed by contemporary European citizens in opposition to populism, which has risen significantly in reaction to globalization, European integration and migration. It makes the counterforces to neo-nationalisms visible and re-envisions key concepts such as democracy/public sphere, power/empowerment, intersectionality and conflict/cooperation in civil society. The book makes a theoretical and empirical contribution to citizenship studies, covering several forms such as contestatory, solidary, everyday and creative citizenship. The chapters examine the diverse movements against national populism, othering and exclusion in various parts of the European Union, such as Denmark, Finland, the UK, Austria, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Italy. The national case studies focus on counterforces to ethnic and religious divisions, as well as genders and sexualities, various expressions of anti-migration, Romanophobia, Islamophobia and homophobia. The book's overall focus on local, national and transnational forms of resistance is premised on values of respect and tolerance of diversity in an increasingly multi-cultural Europe.-- (Résumé de l'éditeur) Front Matter ....Pages i-xix Citizens’ Activism and Solidarity Movements in Contemporary Europe: Contending with Populism (Birte Siim, Aino Saarinen, Anna Krasteva)....Pages 1-24 Dilemmas of Citizenship and Evolving Civic Activism in Denmark (Birte Siim, Susi Meret)....Pages 25-50 Against Romanophobia, for Diversity and Equality: Exploring the Activism Modes of a “Movement Within a Movement” in Finland (Aino Saarinen, Heini Puurunen, Airi Markkanen, Anca Enache)....Pages 51-77 Forging “the People” in the UK: The Appeal of Populism and the Resistant Antibodies (Don Flynn, Gabriella Lazaridis)....Pages 79-110 The (Im)Possibility of Creating Counter-Hegemony Against the Radical Right: The Case of Austria (Birgit Sauer)....Pages 111-136 We Are Still Here and Staying! Refugee-Led Mobilizations and Their Struggles for Rights in Germany (Susi Meret, Waldemar Diener)....Pages 137-166 The Anti-discrimination Activism in a Backlash Context: A Panorama of the French Situation (Etienne Pingaud)....Pages 167-184 Racism, Post-democracy, and Economy That Kills: The Challenges of Civil Society Movements in Italy (Giovanna Campani)....Pages 185-211 Being a Citizen in Times of Mainstreaming of Populism: Building Post-communist Contestatory and Solidary Citizenship (Anna Krasteva, Evelina Staykova, Ildiko Otova)....Pages 213-241 Feminist Movements’ Acts of Citizenship: Experiences from Post-Socialist Slovenia (Mojca Pajnik)....Pages 243-263 Citizens’ Activism for Reimagining and Reinventing Citizenship Countering Far-Right Populism (Anna Krasteva, Aino Saarinen, Birte Siim)....Pages 265-292 Activist Citizens: An Afterword (Donatella della Porta)....Pages 293-304 Back Matter ....Pages 305-308 This book explores the activism and solidarity movements formed by contemporary European citizens in opposition to populism, which has risen significantly in reaction to globalization, European integration and migration. It makes the counterforces to neo-nationalisms visible and re-envisions key concepts such as democracy/public sphere, power/empowerment, intersectionality and conflict/cooperation in civil society. The book makes a theoretical and empirical contribution to citizenship studies, covering several forms such as contestatory, solidary, everyday and creative citizenship. The chapters examine the diverse movements against national populism, othering and exclusion in various parts of the European Union, such as Denmark, Finland, the UK, Austria, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Italy. The national case studies focus on counterforces to ethnic and religious divisions, as well as genders and sexualities, various expressions of anti-migration, Romanophobia, Islamophobia and homophobia. The book's overall focus on local, national and transnational forms of resistance is premised on values of respect and tolerance of diversity in an increasingly multi-cultural Europe.-- (Résumé de l'éditeur) This book explores the activism and solidarity movements formed by contemporary European citizens in opposition to populism, which has risen significantly in reaction to globalization, European integration and migration. It makes the counterforces to neo-nationalisms visible and re-envisions key concepts such as democracy/public sphere, power/empowerment, intersectionality and conflict/cooperation in civil society. The book makes a theoretical and empirical contribution to citizenship studies, covering several forms such as contestatory, solidary, everyday and creative citizenship. The chapters examine the diverse movements against national populism, othering and exclusion in various parts of the European Union, such as Denmark, Finland, the UK, Austria, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Italy. The national case studies focus on counterforces to ethnic and religious divisions, as well as genders and sexualities, various expressions of anti-migration, Romanophobia, Islamophobia and homophobia. The book's overall focus on local, national and transnational forms of resistance is premised on values of respect and tolerance of diversity in an increasingly multi-cultural Europe.-- Provided by publisher Birte Siim, Anna Krasteva, Aino Saarinen, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.