Carlo Ruzza | University of Leicester (original) (raw)
Papers by Carlo Ruzza
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Jul 1, 2015
22nd International Conference of Europeanists, Jul 8, 2015
Routledge eBooks, Oct 10, 2018
Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, 2015
1. Introduction 2. Right and Centre-Right in the Post-War Party System 3. Roots of Success of the... more 1. Introduction 2. Right and Centre-Right in the Post-War Party System 3. Roots of Success of the Right 4. The Northern League 5. Forza Italia 6. The MSI-AN 7. Sources of Success of the Italian Right 8. Conclusions: Populism and the Right
Oxford University Press eBooks, Feb 5, 2018
This chapter examines the connections between the trajectory of the radical right in Italy, Spain... more This chapter examines the connections between the trajectory of the radical right in Italy, Spain, and Greece and the impact of the 2007 economic crisis and its aftermaths. The crisis sparked sweeping anti-political sentiments directed against the mainstream political actors that had been ruling these countries in recent decades, and which were held responsible for the disproportionate impact of the crisis on these countries. However, it is argued that distinctive supply-side and contextual political factors affected the relevance of radical right parties in the countries examined. Competition from new types of populist formations such as Podemos and the Five Star Movement limited the viability of the radical right in Italy and Spain, while in Greece the radical right emerged in association with conventional extreme right ideologies. In addition, in Spain a perception of migrants as less threatening and competition from ingrained ethnonationalist identities further limited the viability of the radical right.
Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Dec 31, 2021
Journal of Civil Society, Jun 1, 2010
The article by Kendall utilizes the concept of Europeanization in examining the processes that ha... more The article by Kendall utilizes the concept of Europeanization in examining the processes that have occurred in third sector policy over several decades. It conceives Europeanization broadly, conceptualizing it in terms of its main meanings in the literature. In this context, it sets out to describe, analyse, and explain how the Brussels policy machinery has reacted to the dynamics in the third sector taking place in Member States, and to the political opportunities emerging from the process of European construction. It uses a multi-method approach, consisting first in a detailed history of the relations between key Member States, their third sector actors, and Brussels dynamics, and then in a more specific analysis of a few policy cases, ranging from the European Employment Strategy and the related relevance of the ‘social economy’ and of ‘civil society’, to social exclusion policy in relation to the role of NGOs. Throughout the article, a prominent role is given to path-dependency dynamics and the changing strategies of third sector actors in large countries. It notes the role of the Amsterdam Treaty as a critical historical juncture, and it points to the presence of an element of independent strategic behaviour of supranational institutions. It concludes that overall only modest uneven third sector Europeanization has occurred. This conclusion is drawn on the basis of an evaluation of the extent to which domestic third sector horizontal policy domains interact with the EU level, the extent to which a dedicated institutionbuilding process has taken place, and the extent to which multi-level policy-making has occurred. This article is important for several reasons. First, it provides a thick narrative of the series of interconnected events that have characterized this emerging policy field. This is innovative and useful as it identifies the relevant actors and assesses the relative importance of their roles. The undeclared strategies of third sector actors are revealed. Their desires for autonomy, for the safeguard of their distinctive policy styles, and their relations to national political actors are accurately analysed. Journal of Civil Society Vol. 6, No. 1, 81–85, June 2010
1. Introduction 2. The impact of movement coalitions on policy-making 3. Environmentalism 4. Anti... more 1. Introduction 2. The impact of movement coalitions on policy-making 3. Environmentalism 4. Anti-racism 5. Ethno-nationalism 6. Europe and movement advocacy coalitions Appendix A - Methodological approaches Appendix B - MACs and public opinion
Policy and Society, Apr 1, 2009
This paper examines and classifies ''uncivil society'' in Europe, that is, a set of associational... more This paper examines and classifies ''uncivil society'' in Europe, that is, a set of associational activities characterized by discursively exclusionist, undemocratic or violent features. With particular reference to organizations connected to the political right, it examines the relation between political systems and civil society, identifying the factors that have made civil society relevant for political actors and pointing to a relation of mutual dependence between the associational world and political movements and parties. It is argued that membership in uncivil society organizations is an alternative type of political participation which articulates growing anti-political sentiments, and that the emergence of uncivil society activities is rooted in newly relevant conceptions of social and political life which are anti-modern and based on ascriptive criteria of membership. Uncivil society organizations are classified as racist, nationalist and populist, and characterized as biologically essentialist, or territorially or culturally exclusionist.
West European Politics, Apr 1, 1993
Page 1. Roots of success of the Lega Lombarda: Mobilisation Dynamics and the Media CARLO E. RUZZA... more Page 1. Roots of success of the Lega Lombarda: Mobilisation Dynamics and the Media CARLO E. RUZZA and OLIVER SCHMIDTKE The emergence and success of the Lega Lombarda is studied through participant observation ...
Partecipazione e Conflitto, Nov 15, 2014
Work licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non commercial-Share alike 3.0 Italian License
Springer eBooks, Sep 1, 2018
This chapter focuses on how the “populist turn” of recent years has affected EU institutions and ... more This chapter focuses on how the “populist turn” of recent years has affected EU institutions and the non-state actors which interact with them. It argues that in the broader context of the legacy of the 2008 financial crisis, the success of populist parties and movements has affected the composition, agendas, and political culture of European institutional actors and has then been negatively reflected in the prospects of the non-state actors that interact with them, their funding opportunities and strategies. It argues that as a consequence of the impact of populist formations, a fragmented reaction has occurred in each of the institutional domains considered—the European Commission, the Parliament, and civil society organizations. In particular, the success of populist forces in several member states and at EU level has specifically affected inclusionary antidiscrimination organizations. Changes have occurred in their perceptions of legitimacy and general political opportunities, and in the structure of their networks, which increasingly divide between a pro-EU and an anti-EU component.
European Political Science, Aug 1, 2008
This paper focuses on the role played by civil-society organisations in three policy sectors-envi... more This paper focuses on the role played by civil-society organisations in three policy sectors-environmentalism, regionalism and anti-racism-at different territorial levels. The paper describes routes of Europeanisation, and highlights the crucial role of mediators between national and European levels of governance in building alliances and transnational networks.
Nordicom Review, Mar 1, 2021
This article analyses the ideational features of conservative civil society groups at EU level an... more This article analyses the ideational features of conservative civil society groups at EU level and compares them to progressive groups. Through a frame analysis of the textual materials of these two types of organisations, I examine their reactions to the success of populist formations in several European member states and at EU level. I argue that the long-established EU ethos of fostering progressive civil society is undergoing a redefinition, which impacts their strategies. I posit that in a changing political climate, EU institutions are less interested in some of the contributions progressive civil society offers, such as its contributions to public deliberation, governance, and the legitimacy of the EU. Progressive civil society reacts to the threat of a loss of standing and attempts to retain its historical centrality, legitimacy, and access. In contrast, conservative civil society groups seek to establish themselves in a political environment previously off-limits to them.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Jul 1, 2015
22nd International Conference of Europeanists, Jul 8, 2015
Routledge eBooks, Oct 10, 2018
Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, 2015
1. Introduction 2. Right and Centre-Right in the Post-War Party System 3. Roots of Success of the... more 1. Introduction 2. Right and Centre-Right in the Post-War Party System 3. Roots of Success of the Right 4. The Northern League 5. Forza Italia 6. The MSI-AN 7. Sources of Success of the Italian Right 8. Conclusions: Populism and the Right
Oxford University Press eBooks, Feb 5, 2018
This chapter examines the connections between the trajectory of the radical right in Italy, Spain... more This chapter examines the connections between the trajectory of the radical right in Italy, Spain, and Greece and the impact of the 2007 economic crisis and its aftermaths. The crisis sparked sweeping anti-political sentiments directed against the mainstream political actors that had been ruling these countries in recent decades, and which were held responsible for the disproportionate impact of the crisis on these countries. However, it is argued that distinctive supply-side and contextual political factors affected the relevance of radical right parties in the countries examined. Competition from new types of populist formations such as Podemos and the Five Star Movement limited the viability of the radical right in Italy and Spain, while in Greece the radical right emerged in association with conventional extreme right ideologies. In addition, in Spain a perception of migrants as less threatening and competition from ingrained ethnonationalist identities further limited the viability of the radical right.
Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Dec 31, 2021
Journal of Civil Society, Jun 1, 2010
The article by Kendall utilizes the concept of Europeanization in examining the processes that ha... more The article by Kendall utilizes the concept of Europeanization in examining the processes that have occurred in third sector policy over several decades. It conceives Europeanization broadly, conceptualizing it in terms of its main meanings in the literature. In this context, it sets out to describe, analyse, and explain how the Brussels policy machinery has reacted to the dynamics in the third sector taking place in Member States, and to the political opportunities emerging from the process of European construction. It uses a multi-method approach, consisting first in a detailed history of the relations between key Member States, their third sector actors, and Brussels dynamics, and then in a more specific analysis of a few policy cases, ranging from the European Employment Strategy and the related relevance of the ‘social economy’ and of ‘civil society’, to social exclusion policy in relation to the role of NGOs. Throughout the article, a prominent role is given to path-dependency dynamics and the changing strategies of third sector actors in large countries. It notes the role of the Amsterdam Treaty as a critical historical juncture, and it points to the presence of an element of independent strategic behaviour of supranational institutions. It concludes that overall only modest uneven third sector Europeanization has occurred. This conclusion is drawn on the basis of an evaluation of the extent to which domestic third sector horizontal policy domains interact with the EU level, the extent to which a dedicated institutionbuilding process has taken place, and the extent to which multi-level policy-making has occurred. This article is important for several reasons. First, it provides a thick narrative of the series of interconnected events that have characterized this emerging policy field. This is innovative and useful as it identifies the relevant actors and assesses the relative importance of their roles. The undeclared strategies of third sector actors are revealed. Their desires for autonomy, for the safeguard of their distinctive policy styles, and their relations to national political actors are accurately analysed. Journal of Civil Society Vol. 6, No. 1, 81–85, June 2010
1. Introduction 2. The impact of movement coalitions on policy-making 3. Environmentalism 4. Anti... more 1. Introduction 2. The impact of movement coalitions on policy-making 3. Environmentalism 4. Anti-racism 5. Ethno-nationalism 6. Europe and movement advocacy coalitions Appendix A - Methodological approaches Appendix B - MACs and public opinion
Policy and Society, Apr 1, 2009
This paper examines and classifies ''uncivil society'' in Europe, that is, a set of associational... more This paper examines and classifies ''uncivil society'' in Europe, that is, a set of associational activities characterized by discursively exclusionist, undemocratic or violent features. With particular reference to organizations connected to the political right, it examines the relation between political systems and civil society, identifying the factors that have made civil society relevant for political actors and pointing to a relation of mutual dependence between the associational world and political movements and parties. It is argued that membership in uncivil society organizations is an alternative type of political participation which articulates growing anti-political sentiments, and that the emergence of uncivil society activities is rooted in newly relevant conceptions of social and political life which are anti-modern and based on ascriptive criteria of membership. Uncivil society organizations are classified as racist, nationalist and populist, and characterized as biologically essentialist, or territorially or culturally exclusionist.
West European Politics, Apr 1, 1993
Page 1. Roots of success of the Lega Lombarda: Mobilisation Dynamics and the Media CARLO E. RUZZA... more Page 1. Roots of success of the Lega Lombarda: Mobilisation Dynamics and the Media CARLO E. RUZZA and OLIVER SCHMIDTKE The emergence and success of the Lega Lombarda is studied through participant observation ...
Partecipazione e Conflitto, Nov 15, 2014
Work licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non commercial-Share alike 3.0 Italian License
Springer eBooks, Sep 1, 2018
This chapter focuses on how the “populist turn” of recent years has affected EU institutions and ... more This chapter focuses on how the “populist turn” of recent years has affected EU institutions and the non-state actors which interact with them. It argues that in the broader context of the legacy of the 2008 financial crisis, the success of populist parties and movements has affected the composition, agendas, and political culture of European institutional actors and has then been negatively reflected in the prospects of the non-state actors that interact with them, their funding opportunities and strategies. It argues that as a consequence of the impact of populist formations, a fragmented reaction has occurred in each of the institutional domains considered—the European Commission, the Parliament, and civil society organizations. In particular, the success of populist forces in several member states and at EU level has specifically affected inclusionary antidiscrimination organizations. Changes have occurred in their perceptions of legitimacy and general political opportunities, and in the structure of their networks, which increasingly divide between a pro-EU and an anti-EU component.
European Political Science, Aug 1, 2008
This paper focuses on the role played by civil-society organisations in three policy sectors-envi... more This paper focuses on the role played by civil-society organisations in three policy sectors-environmentalism, regionalism and anti-racism-at different territorial levels. The paper describes routes of Europeanisation, and highlights the crucial role of mediators between national and European levels of governance in building alliances and transnational networks.
Nordicom Review, Mar 1, 2021
This article analyses the ideational features of conservative civil society groups at EU level an... more This article analyses the ideational features of conservative civil society groups at EU level and compares them to progressive groups. Through a frame analysis of the textual materials of these two types of organisations, I examine their reactions to the success of populist formations in several European member states and at EU level. I argue that the long-established EU ethos of fostering progressive civil society is undergoing a redefinition, which impacts their strategies. I posit that in a changing political climate, EU institutions are less interested in some of the contributions progressive civil society offers, such as its contributions to public deliberation, governance, and the legitimacy of the EU. Progressive civil society reacts to the threat of a loss of standing and attempts to retain its historical centrality, legitimacy, and access. In contrast, conservative civil society groups seek to establish themselves in a political environment previously off-limits to them.