{"title":"Conspiratorial imaginaries of the right: a commentary on capital, race and space by Richard Saull","authors":"Alexander D. Barder","doi":"10.1057/s41311-024-00605-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>In my engagement with Richard Saull’s important work Capital, Race and Space, I focus on the nexus between belief in conspiracy theories and right-wing radicalization. I want to suggest that a conspiracy theory is a particular form of social imaginary. In this case, the social imaginaries that lend themselves to right-wing or fascistic political movements concern claims about global pathologies that appear hidden from the social reality of the nation-state. To his credit, Saull takes seriously the role that such ideas have. I extend the analysis by turning to George Bataille’s understanding of fascism. For Bataille, fascism is about creating a feeling of necessity to confront the abject forces (global in scope) that seek to undermine a particular way of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":46593,"journal":{"name":"International Politics","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Politics","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1057/s41311-024-00605-5","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In my engagement with Richard Saull’s important work Capital, Race and Space, I focus on the nexus between belief in conspiracy theories and right-wing radicalization. I want to suggest that a conspiracy theory is a particular form of social imaginary. In this case, the social imaginaries that lend themselves to right-wing or fascistic political movements concern claims about global pathologies that appear hidden from the social reality of the nation-state. To his credit, Saull takes seriously the role that such ideas have. I extend the analysis by turning to George Bataille’s understanding of fascism. For Bataille, fascism is about creating a feeling of necessity to confront the abject forces (global in scope) that seek to undermine a particular way of life.
期刊介绍:
International Politics?is a leading peer reviewed journal dedicated to transnational issues and global problems. It subscribes to no political or methodological identity and welcomes any appropriate contributions designed to communicate findings and enhance dialogue.International Politics?defines itself as critical in character truly international in scope and totally engaged with the central issues facing the world today. Taking as its point of departure the simple but essential notion that no one approach has all the answers it aims to provide a global forum for a rapidly expanding community of scholars from across the range of academic disciplines.International Politics?aims to encourage debate controversy and reflection. Topics addressed within the journal include:Rethinking the Clash of CivilizationsMyths of WestphaliaHolocaust and ChinaLeo Strauss and the Cold WarJustin Rosenberg and Globalisation TheoryPutin and the WestThe USA Post-BushCan China Rise Peacefully Just WarsCuba Castro and AfterGramsci and IRIs America in Decline。