This book provides the first systematic and comparative analysis of the German right-wing populist protest movement PEGIDA. It offers an in-depth reconstruction of the movements historical development, its organisational structure and its programmatic orientation. It depicts the protestors and their motivations, reactions in politics, media and society, and PEGIDAs European network. The volume presents and compares the results of scientific surveys among PEGIDA-participants and brings them into the context of long-time studies on political culture in Germany, representing a comprehensive study of the emergence of contemporary right-wing populist movements. The book will be of interest to researchers, academics and students focusing on comparative politics, (right-wing) populism, protest movements in western democracies, and political culture in Germany, as well as journalists, political educators and policy makers.

Hans Vorländer holds the Chair of Political Theory and the History of Political Thought at TU Dresden, Germany. He is also Founding Director of the Dresden based Center for the Study of Constitutionalism and Democracy (ZVD). He has published numerous books on democracy, constitutionalism, liberalism and populism. Among his publications are books on democracy (Demokratie, 2009) and on constitutionalism (Die Verfassung, 2012).

Maik Herold is Research Associate at the Chair of Political Theory and the History of Political Thought at TU Dresden and at the Center for the Study of Constitutionalism and Democracy (ZVD), Germany.

Steven Schäller is Research Associate at the Chair of Political Theory and History of Political Thought at TU Dresden and at the Center for the Study of Constitutionalism and Democracy (ZVD), Germany.

1. Introduction.- 2. The development of PEGIDA: From a movement of the outraged to a protest ritual.- 3. Dealing with PEGIDA: Between demarcation and dialogue.- 4. PEGIDA in the context of German right-wing populism.- 5. The PEGIDA demonstrators: characteristics and motivations.- 6. Right-wing populist attitudes at PEGIDA: findings and interpretations.- 7. Right-wing populism in Germany: Classification and explanation.- 8. PEGIDA as part of right-wing populism in Germany and Europe.