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Matthew Feldman

T:: 01642 34
Job title:: Reader
E:: m.feldman@tees.ac.uk
School/department:: School of Arts & Media

Research institute:: Institute of Design, Culture and the Arts

About Matthew Feldman

Matthew Feldman
Reader, School of Arts & Media
T: 01642 34
E: m.feldman@tees.ac.uk
Research institute: Institute of Design, Culture and the Arts

Dr Matthew Feldman is an expert on fascist ideology and the contemporary far-right in Europe and the USA. He has written widely on these subjects, as well as on the interaction between politics and faith in the modern world. He has also taught these subjects for more than a decade for sixth-form, undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Matthew is a Reader in Contemporary History at Teesside University, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bergen, Norway, and a Senior Researcher with the Cantemir Institute, University of Oxford; he has held previous fellowships with the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham, as well as HEFCE and the University of Northampton, where he previously directed the School of Social Sciences’ Radicalism and New Media Research Group (www.radicalism-new-media.org). He is also an editor of Wiley-Blackwell’s online journal, Compass: Political Religions, Continuum’s monograph series, Historicizing Modernism, and has published widely in the areas of cultural and political history since WWI.

Matthew worked with the police and Crown Prosecution on far-right terrorism and incitement, where he acted as the prosecution’s expert witness in several high-profile cases. Since 2009. This has led to additional consultation with police, probation, CPS and third sector organisations across the UK, the intelligence services, as well as for the All-Parliamentary Committee on Anti-Semitism.

He has also appeared on various radio and television programmes to discuss the rise of the far-right in the 21st century, including interviews on PM with Eddy Mair, World Tonight with Robin Lustig, as well as on Sky News, ITV News, Channel 4 News and others. Extended media work includes presentations on Radio 4’s File on Four programme [22/09/09], filmed conferences on the far-right in Germany and the UK, and a range of interviews in print and online (many of which are available at http://www.radicalism-new-media.org/?page_id=437).

Research interests

Published texts extend to journal articles, book chapters and reviews, as well as the edited books Clerical Fascism in Interwar Europe (with Marius Turda and Tudor Georgescu: Routledge 2008), A Fascist Century (Palgrave: 2008), and with Roger Griffin, the five-volume collection Fascism: Critical Concepts (Routledge 2004).

Matthew is currently preparing both a book and television documentary on extremist propaganda, co-editing (with Paul Jackson) a volume entitled Doublespeak: The Rhetoric of the Far-Right since 1945, and is co-organising several forthcoming events related to this research. He can be contacted at mfeldman66@gmail.com.

In the news

What power compelled them?
Times Higher Education, 02/05/2013, p.52
Literary review by Matthew Feldman, Reader in contemporary history and co-director of the forthcoming Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at Teesside University.
Race war fear after Islamic terrorists target EDL
Telegraph (Web), 30/04/2013,
Dr Matthew Feldman, an expert in extremism from Teesside University, warned of "tit for tat extremism" that could make non-violent members of society "be made to feel that have to choose sides". Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "I am appalled by this new development, with a terrorist group targeting a specific group for their views.
Continuïteit fascisme en extreemrech
NRC Handelsblad, (Netherlands) 30/04/2013; FM4 (radio), (Austria) 27/04/2013
Professor Nigel Copsey and Dr Matthew Feldman comment on extreme fascism.
Tackling the meaning of fascism
Sunday Sun (Newcastle), 07/04/2013, p.16
Rather than blame the country's problems on the Jews like Hitler would do, Mussolini talked of fascism as a political religion based on pride in Italy and Italian nationalism. Racism, and particularly anti-Semitism, was central to the ideology of Nazism, but the position in Italian fascism was more ambiguous. Dr Matthew Feldman, reader in contemporary history at Teesside University, thinks the point is questionable.
How the earth moved for them
The Times Higher Education Supplement, 04/04/2013, p.50
Literary review by Matthew Feldman, Reader in contemporary history and co-director of the forthcoming Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at Teesside University.
What are you reading?
The Times Higher Education Supplement, 21/03/2013, p.51
Matthew Feldman, reader in contemporary history, Teesside University, is reading Ted Cantle's Interculturalism (Palgrave, 2012). "The author of the Home Office's report on the 2001 Northern riots turns to outdated multicultural policies in an irreversibly 'super diverse world'.
Centre for Fascist Studies opens at Teeside University
TheNationalStudent (Web), 29/01/2013; Jewish Chronicle (Web) , 29/01/2013; Darlington & Stockton Times (Cleveland), 25/01/2013, p.5
The first research centre in the UK for fascist, anti-fascist and post-fascist studies is to open at Teesside University and was due to be formally launched at a Holocaust Memorial Day event. The centre will be led by historians Professor Nigel Copsey and Dr Mark Feldman. Dr Feldman, who is half-Jewish, said he felt it was important such a centre existed. Fascism left a very important mark on the 20th century.
BBC Radio 4s Sunday Programme
University of Birmingham (Web), 29/01/2013; University of Birmingham (Web), 30/01/2013
Dr Matthew Feldman from Teeside University discusses plans to open a new research centre dedicated to studying the extremist far right and an increase in anti-Islamic attacks on Muslims.
Teesside University coverage
BBC Radio4, Sunday, 27/01/2013, 07:33:28
Teesside University is opening a centre for the study of right wing, fascist politics. A reader of contemporary history at Teesside University is interviewed.
New centre for studies on fascism
Shropshire Star (County), 18/01/2013, p.6; Shropshire Star (Shrewsbury), 18/01/2013, p.6
A centre dedicated to studying the extreme far right and anti-Muslim attacks has been established by a university. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies, launched by Teesside University, will look at the historical developments of far-right politics.
Holocaust memorial day
BBC Radio Tees, Mike Hill, 20/01/2013, 07:05:02, 08:03:37; BBC Radio Tees, Brigid and Dave, 20/01/2013, 10:02:56,
As Teesside University prepares to mark Holocaust memorial day with a special event, the University lifts the lid on its new centre dedicated to the exploration of far right politics. The centre will examine the historical development of far right politics.
University's new centre to study rise in anti-Islam far right
The Muslim Weekly, 18/01/2013, p.4; Research Fortnight, 16/01/2013, p.3
A British university established a dedicated centre to study the extremist far right, with a particular focus on the increase in violent anti-Islamic sentiment and the possibility of a lone, Anders Behring Breivik style attack. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at Teesside University will be formally launched later this month at an event marking National Holocaust Memorial Day.
Ground-breaking new research unit at university
Darlington & Stockton Times (Cleveland), 18/01/2013, p.18; Darlington & Stockton Times (County Durham), 18/01/2013, p.18; BBC Radio Tees, Phil and Amy, 19/01/2013, 06:16:46
Teesside University is launching Britain's first research unit dedicated to the study of the far right and its opponents. The ground-breaking Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies -part of the School of Arts and Media will examine the historical development of far right politics and culture since its inception in the early 20th century.
Teesside University featured
Real Radio North East: Debbie Mac, 15:00:41; Hometime, 16:01:20, 16:32:09, 18:31:55, 17:02:30: 17/01/2013
A new department at Teesside University will looks at the history of fascism and far-right politics.
University to host one of country's largest Holocaust Memorial Day events
Darlington & Stockton Times (Web), 17/01/2013; Northern Echo (Web), 17/01/2013,
A centre dedicated to studying anti-Muslim attacks and the extreme far right has been established in Middlesbrough. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies, launched by Teesside University, will provide research into the historical developments of far right politics.
Anders Breivik-style attacker will slip under the radar in Britain 'sooner or later', expert warns
Telegraph (Web), 14/01/2013; BioPrepWatch (Web), 16/01/2013
According to one of the founders of Britains first research unit to examine far-right extremism, Dr Matthew Feldman warned that the spread of online guides to bomb making and even deadly chemical attacks posed an increased threat. Dr Feldman is one of the founders of the Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at Teesside University, which is to be launched later this month. Much of the centres work will be dedicated to assessing the risk of an attack.
Fascist studies centre to open
Asian Image (Web), Peterlee Mail (Web), Berwick Advertiser (Web), Shields Gazette (Web), News Guardian (Web), Northumberland Gazette (Web), Jarrow & Hebburn Gazette (Web), Blyth and Wansbeck Today (Web), MSN UK (Web), 17/01/2013; FM4.Orf.at, 16/01/2013
A centre dedicated to studying the extreme far right and anti-Muslim attacks has been established by Teesside University. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies will look at the historical developments of far-right politics.
Fascist studies centre to open
Press Association, Press Association (Regional), Huffington Post UK (Blog), Sunderland Echo (Web), Wharfvalley (Web), Morpeth Herald (Web), Berwickshire News (Web), Hartlepool Mail (Web), 17/01/2013; Lancashire Evening Post, 18/01/2013, p.6
A centre dedicated to studying the extreme far right and anti-Muslim attacks has been established by Teesside University. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies will look at the historical developments of far-right politics.
University research on the right track
The Scotsman, 18/01/2013, p.10, The Scotsman (Web), 18/01/2013
A centre dedicated to studying anti-muslim attacks and the extreme far right has been established in middlesbrough. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies, launched by Teesside UniVersity, will provide research into the historical developments of farright politics.
University sets up body to study rise of far right
The Guardian, 14/01/2013, p.12; guardian.co.uk (Web), 13/01/2013; Philippine Times (Web), 13/01/2013; Islamophobia Watch (Blog), 13/01/2013; Education News (Web), 14/01/2013; Evening Gazette (Teesside), 15/01/2013, p.15
A British university has established a dedicated centre to study the extremist far right, with a particular focus on the increase in violent anti-Islamic sentiment and the possibility of a lone, Anders Behring Breivik style attack. The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies at Teesside University will be formally launched later this month at an event marking National Holocaust Memorial Day.
University opens far right centre
BBC (Web), 11/01/2013; Northern Echo (Web), 11/01/2013; Media Newswire (Web), 11/01/2013
Teesside University is to open a research centre dedicated to the study of the political far right and its opposition.
What are you reading?
The Times Higher Education Supplement, 03/01/2013, p.47
A weekly look over the shoulders of our scholar-reviewers, Matthew Feldman, reader in contemporary history, Teesside University, is reading John Bolin's Beckett and the Modern Novel.
Growth of Islamophobia leads to increase in extremism
PR Newswire UK (Web), 15/11/2012; SYS-CON Media (Web), 15/11/2012; FinanzNachrichten.de (Web), 15/11/2012; Ulitzer (Web), 15/11/2012; Zecco (Web), 15/11/2012; Individual.com (Web), 15/11/2012; Sys-Con UK (Web), 15/11/2012
A Teesside University historian is arguing that the growth of Islamophobia in the UK is leading to an increased culture of extremism in contemporary Britain and Europe. Dr Matthew Feldman, Reader in contemporary history, has had a new paper published by Faith Matters, a not for profit organisation which works to reduce extremism and tensions between faiths.
Growth of Islamophobia leads to increase in extremism
Sys-Con Deutschland (Web), 15/11/2012; Yahoo!Canada (Web), 15/11/2012; Press Association, 15/11/2012; Yahoo! Finance (Web), 15/11/2012;
Teesside University historian Dr Matthew Feldon has had a new paper published by Faith Matters - a not for profit organisation which works to reduce extremism and tensions between faiths.
The Radical Right, Anti-Muslim Politics, and Cumulative Extremism
Fair Observer
An important development in radical right activism this century – albeit one that shares many similarities with the past – is the turn toward anti-Muslim politics. Read the full article
Teesside University coverage - 5 min extract
BBC Radio Northampton, Martin Heath, 14/10/2012, 08:36:35
The presenter comments on the English Defence League and the recruitment of new members. He also speaks to lecturer Matthew Feldman who has recently moved to Teesside University.
A country recovers
Northern Echo, 25/08/2012, p.18
When Anders Behring Breivik was declared sane and jailed for 21 years yesterday, Guri Raaen breathed a sigh of relief. For the University of York academic and millions of other Norwegians who had been stunned by his atrocities, in which he killed 77 people in July last year, it brought closure to one of the country's darkest hours. Ms Raaen said she felt proud as an ordinary Norwegian citizen of the way her country - from the king and prime minister to the judicial system - had treated the complex case as an ordinary criminal trial, a view shared by University of Teesside reader Matthew Feldman.
Teesside University interview
BBC News, Breakfast, 24/08/2012, 06:38:08; BBC 1, Breakfast, 24/08/2012, 06:38:13; BBC 1, Breakfast, 24/08/2012, 09:00:27; BBC Radio5, 5 Live Sport: Kicking Off with Colin Murray, 24/08/2012, 21:02:03; BBC Radio Tees, Mike Hill, 24/08/2012, 16:14:13
Discussion with Matthew Feldman from Teesside University about extremism as the public awaits a result in the trial of the mass murderer in Norway who shot dead civilians due to his anti-democratic beliefs.
Teesside University comment
BBC Radio5, 5 Live Breakfast, 24/08/2012, 09:40:53; BBC Radio Tees, Mike Hill, 24/08/2012, 17:00:58; BBC Radio4, The World at One, 24/08/2012, 13:13:36; BBC Radio Manchester, Justin Moorhouse, 24/08/2012, 13:03:54;
Matthew Feldman from Teesside University comments on the Anders Breivik trial, and the mass-murderer's possible links with other right-wing extremists.
Teesside University coverage
BBC Radio Oxford, Howard Bentham, 24/08/2012, 17:00:14; BBC Radio Wales, Good Evening Wales, 24/08/2012, 18:12:39
Matthew Feldman, a terrorism expert who works at Teesside University, discusses the trial of the Norwegian killer Anders Breivik who has been declared sane.
Viewpoint: Killer Breivik's links with far right
BBC (Web), 27/08/2012
Norwegian judges have jailed the mass killer Anders Behring Breivik after declaring him sane, yet his extremist ideology and shocking violence continue to raise questions. His murder of 77 unsuspecting people on 22 July last year was the worst outrage for Norway since World War II, writes Matthew Feldman, Reader in history at Teesside University.