Alan Waring

This volume continues the series that scrutinizes, from a risk perspective, the current phenomenon of authoritarianism, as displayed by the new radical right (also known as alternative right), and whether it represents ‘real’ democracy or an unacceptable hegemony potentially resulting in elected dictatorships and abuses as well as dysfunctional government and harm to many parties. The book identifies and analyzes risk issues arising from the radical-right phenomenon in many forms, including the personal safety and security of individual citizens, ethno-religious minorities, and other minorities and vulnerable groups, as well as threats to organizations, public order and national security, to democratic governance, and to international security. As chapters reveal, the cross-flow of ideological, organizational, and ‘dark money’ support emanating primarily from US corporate foundations, lubricates the fusion of corporate and radical-right interests nationally, transnationally, and globally. This volume gathers contributions from leading academic authors and provides a detailed examination of the fusion of mutual interests between, on the one hand, powerful corporate leaders, executives, and wealthy oligarchs and, on the other, radical-right political leaders, parties and intermediary organizations promoting radical-right causes. The two worlds feed off, enable, and strengthen each other. Of particular relevance to the third decade of the 21st century is an examination of the corporate/radical-right stance on the COVID-19 pandemic and the phenomenon of wild allegations and grand conspiracy theories disseminated by the radical-right against their enemies.

Dr Alan Waring, lead contributor and editor: Originally qualifying as an industrial chemist, he switched mid-career to management and social sciences, involving a PhD on management of change (1993) at Westminster University jointly with Aston Business School. He was an international risk management consultant on a range of corporate, strategic and operational risk issues to government departments, institutions and large corporations 1986-2016 (now retired). More than 80 assignments in 14 countries. Sometime visiting academic roles in Beijing (International Risk Consultant, Tsinghua University 2005-2007), Hong Kong (Adjunct Professor, Centre for Corporate Governance and Financial Policy, HK Baptist University 2006-2008) and Cyprus since 2012 (Visiting Professor, now Adjunct Professor, CERIDES (Centre for Risk and Decision Sciences), European University Cyprus). Appointed Policy & Practitioner Fellow by CARR (Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right) based in London in 2020, and regular contributor of articles to CARR Insight Blog.

Waring’s books include The New Authoritarianism Vol 1: A Risk Analysis of the US Alt-Right Phenomenon (2018), The New Authoritarianism Vol 2: A Risk Analysis of the European Alt-Right Phenomenon (2019), Corporate Risk and Governance (2013), Managing Risk (1998, co-authored with Ian Glendon), and Practical Systems Thinking (1996). Over 100 conference and seminar papers in UK, USA, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Iran and Cyprus. Several hundred articles in the academic, business and popular press. Contributor of The Risk Watch column in Financial Mirror 2004-2018. Interviewed by BBC News, Shanghai TV, IRNN, and FM Online TV.

A “brilliant new volume on the sources, ideas, ideologies, networks, and activities of the Alt, Far, and Extreme Right in world and domestic politics”. The book “goes beyond the academic study of the Radical Right and corporate power to examine the risk to democracy that such forces pose. It is required reading if we are to understand the forces shaping domestic and world politics today.”
Professor Inderjeet Parmar, Professor of International Politics, City (University of London)

“Very well put together, if rather depressing. What a sorry catalogue of loathsome characters this volume reveals. One can only hope that there are some more good people out there than this collection of sociopaths.”
Gavin Jones, social and political commentator, columnist, and author of "A Mental State"

“An exciting and remarkable read. This book makes an excellent and objective historical journey across the first two decades of this century. Two decades filled with propaganda and hate dissemination, mainly fuelled by the global reach of the internet and social media.” The book charts “the rise of the ‘Mega Powerful Corporations’ and how their collective influence over holding personal data, and providing a platform for extremist terrorists and other criminals to promote their beliefs and activities, ultimately facilitates the dissemination of false facts and fake news.” The chapters on negative and positive leadership are “incredibly eye-opening.”
Socrates Coudounaris, Executive Director of Risk (EMEA), Reinsurance Group of America

“Very informative in terms of the authoritarianism aspects and radical-right details. The volume offers a diverse reading and learning in the breadth of the radical-right ideology, whilst proposing strategies and solutions for the challenges ahead. It promotes a response that “emphasizes the development of democratic values, scientifically informed education and principles, promotion of social responsibility, and balanced positive leadership. An important and provoking piece of work.”
Dr Nathan Brooks, Senior Lecturer & Consultant Forensic Psychologist, Central Queensland University, Australia

“The arguments felt very persuasive and well-articulated, namely that authoritarianism in radical-right politics and in corporations are the same phenomenon and work together for shared interests.”
Dr Nicolas Bichay, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Michigan State University