The Global Right Wing and the Clash of World Politics

Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics

by Clifford Bob

This book is an eye-opening account of transnational advocacy, not by environmental and rights groups, but by conservative activists. Mobilizing around diverse issues, these networks challenge progressive foes across borders and within institutions. In these globalized battles, opponents struggle as much to advance their own causes as to destroy their rivals. Deploying exclusionary strategies, negative tactics and dissuasive ideas, they aim both to make and unmake policy. In this work, Clifford Bob chronicles combat over homosexuality and gun control in the UN, the Americas, Europe and elsewhere. He investigates the 'Baptist-burqa' network of conservative believers attacking gay rights, and the global gun coalition blasting efforts to control firearms. Bob draws critical conclusions about norms, activists and institutions, and his broad findings extend beyond the culture wars. They will change how campaigners fight, scholars study policy wars, and all of us think about global politics.

Genres: Politics

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 15, 2011

Reviews

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clifford Bob's book argues that the study of NGOs in world politics has overwhelmingly focussed on NGOs and networks pushing progressive social causes (Environmentalism, human rights, gender equality, etc.). He argues that in order to understand the making or unmaking of policy formation at the international level, we need to understand the conflict that occurs between rival NGOs pushing alternative understandings of the issues at hand. He argues that the international cleavages mirror domestic ones in Western countries (especially the US), with 'left-wing' progressive NGO's clashing with right-wing ones in international forums such as the UN. The examples he looks at are the movement to limit the arms trade, vs. the pro-gun lobby, as well as the pro-LGBTQ+ networks and the "baptist-burqa" network of religious organizations opposing them.

[Jeffrey Cavanaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting examination of how American-style, culture-war politics has gone global. The author explores how the global Right has linked up in transnational networks to fight for family values and "2nd-Amendment" rights in international institutions and battle-ground countries around the world. If leftists think transnational civil society is their purview, they will have to significantly rethink their strategy as the right, matching the left, globalizes.