| dc.description.abstract | The thesis describes and analyzes the position and role of the Generation Nation (GN) in relation to Rassemblement National (RN). The GN and RN are seen as populist radical right (Mudde 2007) social movement organizations, intertwined in a broader mobilization of far-right organizations and ideas, in France and abroad. Through the use of resource mobilization theory (McCarthy and Zald 1977), a description is given by the various ways in which the GN contribute to the mobilization of resources for the RN. Throughout the political and ideological schooling that the GN provides, the thesis argues that the activists become a “vitrine” to the RN (Rotman 2014), contributing to the further normalization of the RN. While the RN is known for being a party attractive to career hunters because of sometimes lacking qualified candidates for running in elections, I find that the GN activists construct and maintain a largely negative view of careerists inside the organizational community. Rather, a high value is placed upon the contribution to the rather normal micro-mobilization work (Hunt and Benford 2007) in the GN and RN; the distribution of flyers and putting up posters, in short; “being present in the terrain”. This seemingly results from the activists’ incarnations of the ideas and goals of the RN, which is understood as a conscious strategy by the RN (Rotman 2014). Moreover, following the view of Melucci (1989), participation in the GN and the RN fulfills a need for the “self-realization in everyday life” (Melucci 1989: 23). The GN and RN are (still) subjects to stigmatization from the environment, particularly in places where the RN have low electoral support. In line with previous research of the FN (e.g. Boumaza 2002 and Bizeul 2003), I find that the GN takes the form of a counter-community (Kriegel 1985). Moreover, the young activists are active in the work of re-labeling themselves and their activism in the GN; ‘instead of leaning on their crutch, they get to play golf with it, ceasing, in terms of social participation, to be representative of the people they represent’ (Goffman 1963: 27). Further, the RN might be destined to maintain parts of its demonization, as moving too long towards becoming a mainstream mass-party will lead to losing the support among voters dissatisfied with the establishment, as well as losing the attractiveness among activists particularly seeking to radical parties. Some findings speak in favor of the RN already having become too mainstream to some of the young sympathizers of the far-right. | nob |