Mabel Berezin is Associate Professor of Sociology at Cornell University. She is the author of Making the Fascist Self: The Political Culture of Inter-war Italy (1997) which was awarded the J. David Greenstone Prize for Best Book of 1996-1997 in Politics and History by the American Political Science Association and named an Outstanding Academic Book of 1997 by Choice. She is also co-editor of Europe Without Borders (2003) and has written numerous articles on European politics, culture and history.

'Illiberal Politics provides a deeply original interpretation of the rise of the French Front National in the context of Europeanization and globalization. This book is a wonderful demonstration of Berezin's remarkable interdisciplinary reach. Her event and identity-centered approach will sustain new types of dialogues between sociologists, political scientists, and others students of political culture.' Michele Lamont, Harvard University and author of The Dignity of Working Men: Morality and the Boundaries of Race, Class, and Immigration

• Introduction: the rightwing populist moment as historical surprise; Part I. Situating the Rightwing Populist Moment: 1. Cinderella in the polis: rightwing populism as historical phenomenon and political concept; 2. Experience and events: reformulating the rightwing populist moment; Part II. The Trajectory of Thin Commitments: France and the National Front: 3. Beginning on the margins: the French first!; 4. 'Neither right nor left: French!': the campaign for political normalcy; 5. The paradox of defeat: the rise and fall and rise of the French National Front; 6. The 2002 presidential elections: the fabulous destiny of Jean-Marie Le Pen; 7. The 'new' April 21: from the presidential elections to the referendum on the European constitution; Part III. Theorizing Europe and Rightwing Populism: 8. Reasserting the national against Europe: politics and perception; 9. Discovering the national in Europe; Conclusion: the future of illiberal politics: democracy and security.