Introduction: The Metapolitics of Fiction: New-Right Narratives in Europe and the Americas

ABSTRACT The introduction to the special issue on “The Metapolitics of Fiction: New-Right Narratives in Europe and the Americas” provides an overview of current and historical developments in New-Right movements in Europe and the Americas, with a special focus on their cultural politics. Under the heading of “metapolitics,” a New-Right concept is introduced, according to which political change can be prepared and achieved through “cultural hegemony.” Narrative fiction is assigned a central role in this process, but it can—on the other hand—also describe this process critically. This special issue analyzes both instances: narratives from the New Right and narratives that take a critical look at the New Right. The introduction examines central aspects of New-Right aesthetics, including its tendency toward ambiguity and veiled statements, which are referred to as “dogwhistle writing.” It concludes with a brief description and classification of the six articles contained in the special issue, three of which deal with cases from the Americas and three from Europe.