Reaching out beyond the national border? How far-right actors in Germany and Norway evaluate transnationalism

Research has emphasised the importance of far-right trans-nationalism, in terms of both ideology and practice. Yet, theliterature lacks a comprehensive analysis of how far-rightactors themselves reflect their transnational practices(or lack thereof), such as party-level exchange, joint protestevents, or online communication. Drawing on original inter-view data from Germany and Norway, our research unveilsthat while far-right ‘nationalists’ generally endorse transna-tional activities, only a minority actively participates. Theinterviewees perceive transnational practices as opportuni-ties for strategic learning, showcasing of collective strength,and networking. Simultaneously, they express concernsabout being associated with extremists and gettingentangled in conflict-ridden areas. Theoretically, we discussthe role of ideology and everyday life as well as the impor-tance of only limited strategic incentives for understandingfar-right transnationalism. In doing so, we draw parallels toexperiences made by left-wing actors. Moreover, we under-line the potential of Granovetter's ‘strength of weak ties’for far-right diffusion.