Populist parties in Europe attract many more votes than they did just a few decades ago and are now much more likely to govern. They have also become key players in the international sphere. At the same time, the relationship between democracy and populism is subject to substantial scholarly and public debate. This raises questions about opposition to this controversial set of political actors: do opponents favour the use of rights-restricting and exclusionary repertoires typical of ‘militant democracy’ responses to anti- democratic or extremist parties? Or do opponents favour the ordinary, persuasive and sometimes inclusive strategies more typical of the daily conduct of liberal democratic politics? To what extent is opposition conceived of as democratic defence? How do strategies vary among countries and in relation to different types of populist parties? How do international and transnational actors respond? Addressing these questions, the book presents new research mapping opposition to the Hungarian Civic Alliance (Fidesz), Law and Justice in Poland, Alternative for Germany, League and Five Start Movement in Italy, Podemos and Vox in Spain, the Sweden Democrats and the Danish People’s Party. It argues that opposition to populist parties in contemporary Europe is, in most cases, best conceived of as democratic defence as normal politics. That is, while there is no direct link between populism and a decline in democratic quality, critical claims justifying acts of opposition often problematise populist parties as threats to liberal democratic principles and values. At the same time, opponents are more likely to respond to populist parties using the repertoires of normal politics – or strategies typically employed against less controversial groupings – than the exceptional, rights-restricting instruments typically used against extremists. The case of Alternative for Germany, in which exceptional politics continues to guide much opposition, remains a case apart.

This book is a collection of contributions by leading scholars on theoretical and contemporary problems of militant democracy. The term 'militant democracy' was first coined in 1937. In a militant democracy preventive measures are aimed, at least in practice, at restricting people who would openly contest and challenge democratic institutions and fundamental preconditions of democracy like secularism - even though such persons act within the existing limits of, and rely on the rights offered by, democracy. In the shadow of the current wars on terrorism, which can also involve rights restrictions, the overlapping though distinct problem of militant democracy seems to be lost, notwithstanding its importance for emerging and established democracies. This volume will be of particular significance outside the German-speaking world, since the bulk of the relevant literature on militant democracy is in the German language. The book is of interest to academics in the field of law, political studies and constitutionalism.

Norberto Bobbio is the foremost political theorist in Italy today. Written with verve and passion as well as erudition, this important work will make a major contribution to current debates in social and political theory. It will be of great interest to students of sociology, politics and philosophy, as well as to anyone concerned with the nature and future of democracy.

Leading experts examine the threats posed by populism to human rights and the international systems and explore how to confront them.

This volume explores the foundations of trust, and whether social and political trust have common roots. Contributions by noted scholars examine how we measure trust, the cultural and social psychological roots of trust, the foundations of political trust, and how trust concerns the law, the economy, elections, international relations, corruption, and cooperation, among myriad societal factors. The rich assortment of essays on these themes addresses questions such as: How does national identity shape trust, and how does trust form in developing countries and in new democracies? Are minority groups less trusting than the dominant group in a society? Do immigrants adapt to the trust levels of their host countries? Does group interaction build trust? Does the welfare state promote trust and, in turn, does trust lead to greater well-being and to better health outcomes? The Oxford Handbook of Social and Political Trust considers these and other questions of critical importance for current scholarly investigations of trust.

This volume includes 22 new pieces by leading political philosophers, on traditional issues (such as authority and equality) and emerging issues (such as race, and money in politics). The pieces are clear and accessible will interest both students and scholars working in philosophy, political science, law, economics, and more.