The Far Right Threat

 

A long-time expert in counter-terrorism and global Islamic threats like ISIS, Iraqi-born US-based Israeli Rita Katz rightly evaluates how loose is the legal and intelligence counter-reaction to internal far right threats. Written shortly after the pandemic lockdown, where all over the world, conspiracy theories were melted into nationalist rhetorics not amended by state actors, Saints and Soldiers. Inside Internet-Age Terrorism, from Syria to the Capitol Siege is an eye opening account of why and how the far right threats increased in the last years, unamended by state actors.

Someone who studied the ISIS and Islamist rhetorics for a long time, may figure out the common pattern by the far right, especially the anti-establishment and misogynistic take, anti-Semitism and the desire the disturb the everyday activities of state institutions. However, although the online activities of ISIS and its near of kin are relatively well documented and publicly denounced, worries are about the ways in which the far right is taking over the public discourse and its freedom to use and abuse online networks and open online resources.

The rhetorics are similar and they may need each other. When they are not just teenagers operating far right networks from the comfort of their computer in far away countries, individuals involved in far right activities of all kinds may know the state and may actually benefit of the support of state actors and individuals part of the system. See, for instance, the colourful list of people who were part of the plan to overthrwo the German government recently. 

This book, written with the feedback of someone who dedicated her life to dismantle the anti-democratic threats, no matter where they are coming from, is a very useful material aiming at explaining the current mindsets as well as the sources of discontent. State institutions, scholars and practitioners, be aware!

Rating: 5 stars

The Law of Blood. Inside the Nazi Mindset

Going deep into the mindset of a political and intellectual movement requires a lot of attention and hard work. From the small details of the everyday ways of thinking, an academic analyst can pursue the mentality pattern, its genesis, reproduction and alterations. In times when the far right is becoming a frequent mention in political reports, it is about time to return to a recognition process of their roots.

La Loi du Sang. Penser et agir en nazi (The law of blood. Think and act as a Nazi), by Johann Chapoutout that I´ve read in the original French language, is a well research investigation into the history of the Nazi mentality. It focuses on Germany, based on an exhaustive investigation of an impressive intellectual sources and production that covers several decades.

Despite the amount of information filtered, used and quoted, the author succeeds in organising the material in a systematic way, covering main topics which describe the best the intellectual Weltanschauung of the Nazi regime. 

There are so many subjects that are explored in addition to the main topics which help to reveal the deep Nazi mentality. For instance, the relationship between human and nature, which continues to permeate the right (alt-right) mindset, as it assesses a global perspective where the human individuality should be abandonned, mirroring the supreme categorisation based on racial categories. An authentic return to the essentiality of the race is passing through the return to the natural human condition that, according to the intellectual supporters of this idea was derailed by both the Jewish and Christian interpretations of nature. The opposition to ritual slaughtering which is a current thema nowadays has its roots in the cruelty against animals (Tierquälerei) a predilect topic in the Nazi works.

Also nowadays, we can easily read and hear, in newspapers, social media and in the public discourse politicians and media pundits complaining about how the society was corrupted by foreigners who are accepted into the body of the nation if they are following not only the neutral laws, but equally the traditions and cultural norms of the majority (Leitkultur). 

I´ve found this book a real revelation which at a certain point frightened my mind, as I recognized so many patterns of thinking spread all over the public discourse in Germany and abroad. Book like La Loi du Sang are such a helpful intellectual tool for those who will not give up in tracing and countering the far-right intellectual pollution of the public space. It is also a good reminder that the mentalities do have a long history and dealing with all the details of a specific topic is such an extraordinary adventure of the mind.

Rating: 5 stars