Global far right and imaginative interconnectivities

While reading the papers in this collection on far right, I have found myself wondering how to locate newly rising right non-Western world and their global connectivities each other Western right. The emotive imaginative matter as they often feed other. As such, Islamophobia European is used strengthen anti-Western sentiments Islamist populisms Middle East, vice versa. Turkey’s Erdoğan’s revivalist imperial dreams are not disconnected from rest of either. Therefore, rise could better be understood a phenomenon. emerging literature so far, seems failed capture these interconnected forces formation politics for three reasons: (i) interconnectivity populist political aspirations missed due Western-oriented tendencies calibrating scholarly foci; (ii) region does fit into foci employed by area studies; (iii) rationality-oriented Eurocentric theories limited ability grasp analyse that at stake. In new project takes place 12 countries which take lead, members research team aim develop will allow nuanced accounts way affective elements impact people’s attitudes opinions. For instance, although last Islamic Empire ceased exist almost 100 years ago, dream reviving Empires still haunts even fuels aspirations. It therefore crucial examine Europe vis-à-vis currency current equally see interconnectivities within those movements. We study homes greatest (Islamdom: Ottoman, Safavid Mughal/Timurid). This geography, recently coined Balkan-to-Bengal complex (BtB) (Ahmed 2015), historically, politically socially zone, has been heartland resurgences. West BtB, Erdogan’s charisma series philanthropic media projects gained him support beyond Turkey, particularly among Sunni Muslims (Akdoğan 2017; Carkoglu 2014; Martin 2015). common theme investments dreams, presenting Ottoman legacy protector against non-Muslims, (Albanian Bosnian) Muslim minorities Balkans Arabs East North Africa (Cagaptay 2009; Cetin Küçük Türkmen 2018; Rüma 2010; Tabak 2016; Walton Yavuz 1998). charismatic leaders Islamists Sufi groups (i.e. Pashtun Tahafuz movement, Jama’at-e-Islami Pakistan Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh) (Ahmad Iqtidar 2011; Riaz 2012) enchant large ethnically diverse following national borders, intimately connecting them through colonial powers, with just polities futures. historical interconnectedness imposed past across BtB informs shapes ways actors tap capacities audience, audiences’ various social references, religious cosmologies, nationalist discourses, resentments, realms. appropriate existing registers further highly ambitious politics: including resurrecting Empires, or under unified leadership region. Equally, able use nostalgia, post-imperial malaise rage autonomous entities, but calibrated far-right discourses taking West. publication part ERC StG 2019 TAKHAYYUL Project (853230).