Drivers of Authoritarianism: Paths and Developments at the Beginning of the 21st Century

Drivers of Authoritarianism provides a prescient deep-dive into modern threats to pluralism and democracy in times of crisis. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this incisive book analyses the social, political, economic and psychological consequences of crises during the first decades of the 21st century, powered by the proliferation of authoritarian regimes and their ideologies.

Günter Frankenberg and Wilhelm Heitmeyer bring together esteemed academics from a diverse range of disciplines to consider the ways in which crises have acted as catalysts for authoritarian developments. The book assesses the effects of authoritarianism at individual, social, national and global levels, raising concerns for the future of political and social stability. Chapters explore exterminism, authoritarian cultural identities, left-wing identity politics as a driver of authoritarianism, media entertainment and authoritarianism, and the role of gender in right-wing authoritarian populism.

This timely book will be a vital read for academics, researchers and students specialising in constitutional and administrative law, law and politics, and public policy. Providing expert insight into the political landscape of the early 21st century this book will also be of great interest to political professionals and policymakers working at local, national and international levels.

Edited by Günter Frankenberg, Emeritus Professor of Public Law, Philosophy of Law and Comparative Law, Institute for Public Law, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main and Wilhelm Heitmeyer, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Bielefeld, Germany