The Left of Hope

The Left of Hope examines how Hungary became an epicenter of the global illiberal movement since 2010 when Orbán Viktor's Fidesz-KDNP party coalition rose to power. It contends that capturing and transforming legacy media into a propaganda apparatus was pivotal to cementing an illiberal regime in Hungary. Gabriella Lukács demonstrates that this media strategy inspired uniquely creative forms of dissent that harnessed analog and digital media to offer alternatives to illiberalism by rebuilding the commons that Orbán's government had enclosed or devastated. In analyzing diverse genres of media activism such as counter-billboard projects, street art, Internet memes, independent theater, and political podcasting, Lukács shows that when one type of commons is produced, the idea of commoning is more easily transferred to other areas. The Left of Hope develops the notion of commoning as a leftist political strategy to foster more inclusive communities in contexts in which right-wing parties forge a sense of collectivity based on acts of exclusion.