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Abstract

There is a plethora of research into the exacerbation of populism, especially at the turn of the 21st century, uniting theories from a range of disciplines, including economists and various differentiations of social scientists. While there is substantial existing research on populist opinion on immigration, there is a lack of country-specific research examining the influence far-right opinion can have on a specific political theatre. This dissertation reviews existing theories on the exacerbation of populism particularly following the 2015 refugee crisis, attempting to offer an explanation for any influence this rise may have had on governmental immigration policy both at the time and in the present day. Much of this work relies on existing research, but examined and relayed in such a way that attempts to draw conclusions from what is widely seen to be a contributing factor in the rise of far-right movements and populist governance: immigration. By assessing both Germany and Italy, we are able to examine the influence of the populists from two different perspectives: one being arguably one of the most powerful countries in Europe, and the other being the country most on the front lines of the migrant crisis. Furthermore, it also shows two different results in terms of perceived levels of immigration policy influence, raising further questions of whether populism has seen its peak or whether its longevity may be more likely than scholars at the beginning of the century may have anticipated.

Course: International Relations and Politics - BA (Hons) - C0694

Date Deposited: 2024-01-23

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14313.html