Introduction: meta-othering? Right-wing populism globally capitalizing on exclusionary antagonisms and moral divides

This chapter discusses the concept of “meta-othering” which involves using rhetoric and actions to create a sense of inferiority and alienation within both in-groups and out-groups on a global scale. This is achieved through two forms of otherization: “upward” othering, which targets establishment elites and their associates, and “downward” othering, which involves demeaning and scapegoating certain out-groups or external outsiders. The chapter also provides real-world examples of right-wing populist tactics included in the Palgrave Handbook on Right-Wing Populism and Otherness in a Global Perspective, demonstrating how these tactics are used to justify alterity narratives and claims around the world.