The survey suggested that the part of the German population holding anti-immigrant, anti-muslim and xenophobic attitudes, combined with a general reject of liberal and egalitarian values, is not characterized by social or economic vulnerability, but can be found among the well-established (the middle of the society). The survey shows further, that this group is about to be "radicalized", which means, they express their attitudes more openly and are increasingly willing to use violence as a political means. How can we explain the normalization of right-wing extreme ideology? And what are the theoretical and policy implications of this development?
Oliver Decker is professor of Social and Organisational Psychology and since 2013 head of the Center for the Study of Right Wing Extremism and Democracy at the University Leipzig. Since 2002 he is responsible for the longitudinal "Center"-Studies, a research project monitoring the right-wing extremism attitudes in Germany. He recently published the edited volume entitled "German Perspectives on Right-Wing Extremism" (Routledge, 2016).