'Gender(ed) nationalism' of the populist radical right : an extreme typicality

Abstract

This chapter takes a look at the phenomenon of 'gender-nationalism' in the rhetoric of the populist radical right. While one feature of many populist radical right parties has been an anti-egalitarian stance towards gender relations, over the past years references to gender equality have become an important element in the rhetoric of these parties. This contribution traces the emergence of this phenomenon focusing on the Austrian Freedom Party, one of the most successful populist radical right parties in Europe. It demonstrates that references to gender equality and women´s rights have become a core element of boundary making in the discourses of the populist radical right, establishing 'Europeanized' nationalist narratives of the 'self' and the 'other'. The chapter highlights the paradox that national identities and consequently nationalisms promoted by these Eurosceptic parties include a strong European component.