At the heart of this discussion is the question: What draws people to far-right politics? Rather than defining the far-right solely by its negative appeals, this panel uncovers the fantasies, emotional bonds, and persuasive strategies that have sustained these movements. It examines how humor, showmanship, and emotional resonance were strategically used to recruit, inspire, and mobilize followers and sustain generations of activism.

One paper investigates the role women played in shaping right-wing media, from radio to digital platforms, spanning the 1950s to the 1990s. These activists bypassed claims to objectivity, favoring visceral, emotionally charged rhetoric that built audiences and shaped the media landscape we inhabit today. Another paper delves into the unique mix of homosociality, humor, shock tactics, and violent fantasies prevalent in white nationalist youth subcultures in the 1970s and 1980s. The third paper takes a deep dive into early Cold War-era survivalist manuals and fiction, where fantasies of American decline and guerrilla warfare intertwined with fears of racial and sexual disorder.