Report on English Defence League published at international conference

A major report on the ideology, structure and development of the English Defence League (EDL) will be launched at an international conference at The University of Northampton next week.

The conference entitled 'Populist Racism in Britain in Europe since 1945' and will be held between 22-23 September.

The report, The EDL: Britain's 'New Far-Right' Social Movement, also examines the EDL's influence on far-right terrorism and 'lone wolf' extremists. The latter are individuals who act alone with far-right extremist views; for example, Anders Breivik - perpetrator of the recent terrorists atrocities in Norway - allegedly acted alone and his manifesto praises the work of the EDL.

Dr Matthew Feldman, Senior Lecturer in Twentieth Century History and Director of the Radicalism and New Media Research Group at The University of Northampton, organisers of the Populist Racism conference, commented:

We hope this report on the EDL will focus discussion on the role of the 'new far-right' across Britain and Europe today. The EDL, perhaps the best representative of a new far-right dynamic this century, uses new media to organise support and protests on the one hand, while on the other, act as a social movement rather than a traditional political party. These features, along with the demonisation of Muslims, are very different than the far-right parties of the past, especially those of fascism's heyday between the wars. But for all the smoke and mirrors, the EDL may still be considered a far-right movement - and just like the past, is ultimately one that incites violence, prejudice and division in our communities. For these reasons, our report is intended not only for policy-makers and officials, but also for the wider public - so affected by the disorder brought to towns and cities across Britain as a result of EDL 'protests' - and is therefore available for free download from our website.

Dr Matthew Feldman

The report, which will be launched at 11.45am on Friday 23 September at the conference, will be available to download online at the Radicalism and New Media website, www.radicalism-new-media.org, from midnight on 22 September 2011.

Michael Ellis MP, Northampton North, added:

I am delighted that The University of Northampton, based in the constituency I represent and the town that I have lived and worked in all my life, is at the forefront of the important academic study on the extreme far-right, an area of increasing importance nationally and internationally.

I have no doubt that this report will contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on this important issue.

Michael Ellis MP, Northampton North

Populist Racism in Britain and Europe Since 1945 is a two-day conference at The University of Northampton's Park Campus which starts with an opening keynote address from Hans-Georg Betz, Associate Professor of European Studies, Paul H.Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), on Populism, Nativism and Contemporary Radical Right-Wing Ideology. Other keynote speakers include the University's Vice Chancellor Professor Nick Petford and Fiyaz Mughal, OBE, Director of the interfaith charity Faith Matters.

Dr Feldman continued:

In the same way, we really hope that our forthcoming conference will appeal to both academics and a range of policing, practitioner and third sector professionals; in fact, to anyone having come face to face with the 'new far-right' in Europe!

As the fifth in a series of podcasted conferences hosted by The University of Northampton's Radicalism and New Media research group, I am pleased to say that this is our most ambitious event to date. Featuring a range of leading experts and scholars on this new far-right - extending from analyses of anti-Muslim prejudice across Europe to a panel the effects of 'populist' racism in cases of lone-wolf terrorism - this event helps to remind all Europeans of goodwill that the far-right still exists in every country, and if anything, has grown stronger and more sophisticated in this century. In turn, this is all the more reason to get our heads together at conferences like Populist Racism in Britain and Europe since 1945 and figure out how we diagnose and attempt to remedy this persistent rash breaking out across Europe.

Dr Matthew Feldman

A further highlight of the conference will be the launch of Far-right.com - a new book edited by Dr Paul Jackson, Lecturer in History, The University of Northampton, and Gerry Gable, Searchlight magazine - on how far right extremists are using the internet to spread their messages and to recruit new members.

This is the first book that details how a wide range of British far-right movements have used the Internet to develop their extremist politics. Chapters range from an examination of the neo-Nazi group the Aryan Strike Force, which used online sources to develop a quantity of ricin, to the English Defence League's own extremist 'backstage' of Islamophobia. Sonia Gable also examines how the British National Party has used websites during its growth in the past decade. Gerry Gable and I believe Far-Right.com

will bring into sharper focus the many and varied uses of the Internet by the British far right.

Dr Paul Jackson