The Far Right in Latin America

A comparative analysis of the far right in Latin America, linking backlash against social inclusion to global democratic transformations.

This book examines the rise of the far right in Latin America as a backlash to the inclusion of historically marginalized groups. It will appeal to readers interested in democracy, populism, and comparative politics, offering fresh insights that link Latin American experiences to Europe and the United States.This volume argues that the rise of the far right in Latin America represents a reactionary response to the partial success of democratic regimes in incorporating historically marginalized groups. Despite persistent inequalities, Latin American democracies have gradually weakened the dominance of traditional elites over majority–minority relations, creating fertile ground for a backlash against political, social and cultural change. Like their counterparts in Europe and the United States, far-right actors in the region resist adapting to ongoing transformations, instead invoking an idealized national past and mobilizing exclusionary ethnic, cultural, and political appeals to construct a radically homogeneous community. This volume employs a theoretical framework informed by contemporary debates on the far right in Europe and the United States and brings together leading scholars to examine key country cases across Latin America. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.