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Paper short abstract

The paper proposes a comparative analysis between anti-migration protests on the island of Ireland and the attacks against migrants in Italy. Drawing on two different fieldworks, a major point of connection emerges: the racially-driven far-right mobilization of perceived male violence against women.

Paper long abstract

In recent years, the dynamics surrounding migration in Europe have become increasingly entangled with far-right mobilizations, particularly in contexts marked by socio-economic instability and shifting political landscapes. This paper seeks to explore the intersection of ethnographic fieldwork by presenting a comparative analysis of two distinct cases: the anti-migration protests on the island of Ireland and the violent attacks against migrants in Italy.

Through ethnographic research conducted in Dublin and Belfast, as well as in the Italian town of Macerata, some major points of connection emerge: far-right ideologies interact with local narratives of belonging, sovereignty, and state presence by using gender as a central line of discussion. In both contexts, the complex, multi-layered engagement of social actors – ranging from Nationalist and Unionist groups on the island of Ireland, to far-right activists and racialized communities in Italy – reveals how the discourse surrounding migration is shaped by both historical legacies and contemporary political anxieties.

Drawing on these cases, the paper focuses on the racially-driven far-right mobilization of perceived male violence against women. Sociologists such as Sara Farris have defined this process as "femonationalism", and anthropologists like Francesca Scrinzi have framed it as "racialization of sexism". Rather than engaging with theoretical labels, this paper will focus on the concrete forms in which these discourses and practices manifest.