ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 introduces the main arguments developed in the volume: the resistance to the right-wing backlash by progressive social movements. It first motivates the choice of focusing on social movements that mobilised against anti-modernist frames, exclusionary forms of nationalism and authoritarian positions, with the development of particular aggressive forms of racism, attacks on gender and women's rights, and constraints on civil liberties in general. Then, it contextualises this choice with reference to the Italian case, the particular conjuncture in which the League enjoyed an unprecedented centrality in both the national media and the political system, becoming the most popular party in Italy. Our analysis will try to understand the determinants of Italian street protests for social justice and democracy in a period of perceived political and cultural backlash, with the public debate dominated by anti-immigrant and anti-gender discourses, and lacking left-wing alternatives in the institutional sphere. Building upon a growing attention in the field, the research is located in the broader investigation of forms of political participation and activisms in periods of crisis. Further, the chapter introduces the research design, by referring to the progressive social movement milieus that mobilised in 2017 and 2018, describing them as landmark instances of resistance to backlash politics, and discussing the main methods used in our empirical research (with particular attention to the surveys at demonstrations). Finally, the chapter presents the structure of the volume.
