Contested Feminism: Backlash and the Radical Right

Abstract

During the past decade, various societies have observed feminist mobilizations and antifeminist counter-mobilizations, the latter being partly driven by radical right parties. Even in societies marked by institutions and norms that should be most conducive to progressive gender equality and LGBTQI+ norms, feminism is a point of contestation. Through a compilation of five papers using multiple methods, this dissertation investigates the contested nature of contemporary feminism across different European contexts. Specifically, the papers examine a) conservative/liberal polarization over feminism; b) the effect of (anti)feminist attitudes and feminist issue salience on radical right voting; c) radical right voters’ (anti)feminist attitudes; d) young men's perceptions of feminism as a threat; and e) radical right voters’ cultural grievances over feminism. Theoretically, I apply research on issue salience and threat perceptions to the study of attitudes toward feminism. Methodologically, I analyze existing and originally collected, experimental and observational data from surveys and interviews. In doing so, I theoretically and empirically contribute to research on cultural backlash, radical right voting, mass ideological polarization, antifeminism, and sexism. I find that people who oppose or counter-react against certain progressive gender and sexuality issues tend to vote for the radical right and distrust institutions. Demographically, they tend to be young men living in regions with increasing unemployment. They particularly oppose gender and sexuality issues that are salient in the public debate and evoke threat perceptions. Based on the findings, I develop a framework that may serve as guidance for future research on socially conservative backlash, as well as liberal-conservative polarization.