Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-230) and index.

1. Populism and politics: transgressing norms and taboos -- 2. Theories and definitions: the politics of identity -- 3. Borders and the people: the politics of exclusion -- 4. Language and identity: the politics of nationalism -- 5. Antisemitism: the politics of denial -- 6. Performance and the media: the politics of charisma -- 7. Gender and the body politic: the politics of patriarchy -- 8. Mainstreaming: the normalization of exclusion.

"Populist right-wing politics is moving centre-stage, with some parties reaching the very top of the electoral ladder: but do we know why, and why now? In this book the author traces the trajectories of such parties from the margins of the political landscape to its centre, to understand and explain how they are transforming from fringe voices to persuasive political actors who set the agenda and frame media debates. Laying bare the normalization of nationalistic, xenophobic, racist and antisemitic rhetoric, she builds a new framework for this 'politics of fear' that is entrenching new social divides of nation, gender and body. The result reveals the micro-politics of right-wing populism: how discourses, genres, images and texts are performed and manipulated in both formal and also everyday contexts with profound consequences. This book is a must-read for scholars and students of linguistics, media and politics wishing to understand these dynamics that are re-shaping our political space."--Publisher.