Backlash in the 'Hood: Determinants of Support for the British National Party (BNP) at the Local Level

摘要

Studies of extreme right party support typically eschew detailed local research. This article examines the recent development of the British National Party (BNP), currently the dominant representative of the British extreme right, and focuses specifically on two local case studies. Drawing on research into BNP voters and activists, the article highlights the role of perceived ethnic competition and threat as an important explanatory factor of BNP support. The article also draws attention to local circumstances and cultures that render some areas especially susceptible to exclusionistic forms of mobilization. The article ends by noting some broader implications for the study of contemporary extreme right parties.