Far Right Alliances: Analyzing the Appeal and Methods of Anti-Democratic Forces Across the Atlantic

Far-right parties and movements have gained significant strength on both sides of the Atlantic, sharing ideological goals and strategies and working together through informal networks. Recent election cycles have not only brought considerable gains for these groups, they have also shed light on their transnational connections. These actors challenge core democratic values, mobilize around conspiracy theories, and increasingly influence mainstream politics. What explains their growing appeal, and how do they organize across national borders? What drives voters to support far-right parties, and how do these parties succeed in reaching a wider and increasingly mainstream voter base? How can democratic institutions and civil society respond effectively to and withstand coordinated anti-democratic efforts?

We are looking forward to discussing these and further questions with:

Dr. Marcel Lewandowsky is a political scientist specializing in comparative politics, with a particular focus on populism, political participation, party systems, and subnational governance. He earned his doctoral degree in 2012 from the University of Bonn, where his dissertation examined regional election campaigns in Germany. Lewandowsky has held academic positions at several institutions, including Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg, and the NRW School of Governance. From 2019 to 2022, he served as a DAAD Visiting Assistant Professor at the Center for European Studies at the University of Florida. In 2021, he completed his habilitation at Helmut Schmidt University. His recent publications include Die globale Rechte (2025) and Was Populisten wollen – Wie sie die Gesellschaft herausfordern und wie man ihnen begegnen sollte (2024), both of which explore the dynamics and challenges of populist movements. Beyond academia, Dr. Lewandowsky frequently appears in media outlets such as WDR, Deutschlandradio, and Deutsche Welle to provide expert analysis on contemporary political issues.

Elisabeth Zerofsky is a Contributing Writer for the New York Times Magazine, where she writes about European and American politics and society. She is currently at work on a book for Farrar, Straus & Giroux about the rise of the far right in Europe and the US, and a new era of illiberal democracy.

PD Dr. Elisabeth Schäfer-Wünsche is a scholar of North American cultural and literary studies. Until 2021, she held various academic positions at universities in Germany (Bonn, Paderborn, Mannheim, Düsseldorf) and in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, working as a senior academic advisor and lecturer. Her teaching and publications cover a broad range of subjects relating to North America and include effects of colonialism and globalization. After her retirement in 2017, she has kept teaching courses, giving talks, moderating panel discussions, and supervising/assessing dissertations.

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This event will be held in English.