The principal critical theme of Lost Causes is that the cultural realm of a society is imbued with ideological connotations. This is not to argue that a cultural field like Australian cinema, which is the ground from which I draw my principal examples, is an extension of the socio-political viewpoint of whatever government or class interests are in power. Rather, I distinguish such hegemonic practice from the presence of ideological causality in cinema in order to emphasize the hidden, because subliminal, nature of ideology. Thus ideology is a kinetic function of any society. It provides a framework within which citizens define their relationships to the social reality within which they live. The subject does not exist outside of ideology.

This Thesis examines the ideology, politics and organization of the Australian Extreme Right 1975-1995. Its central interpretative theme is the response of the Extreme Right to the development of the Australian State from a conservative Imperial structure into an American "anti-communist" client state, and ultimately into a liberal-internationalist machine which integrated Australia into a globalized capitalist order. The Extreme Right after 1975 differed from the various paramilitaries of the 1930's and the conservative anti-communist auxiliary organizations of the 1945-75 period. Post 1975, it lost its preoccupation with fighting the Left, and progressively grew as a challenger to liberal-internationalism. The abandonment of "White Australia" and consequent non-European immigration were the formative catalysts of a more diverse and complex Extreme Right. The Thesis uses a working definition of generic fascism as "palingenetic populist ultra-nationalism", to measure the degree of ideological and political radicalization achieved by the Extreme Right. This family of political ideas, independent of the State and mobilized beyond the limits of the former-period auxiliary conservatives, expressed itself in an array of organizational forms. The complexity of the Extreme Right can be demonstrated by using four typologies: Radical Nationalism, Neo-Nazism, Populist-Monarchism and Radical-Populism, each with specific points to make about social clienteles, geographical distribution, particular ideological heritages, and varied strategies and tactics. The Extreme Right could mobilize from different points of opportunity if political space became available. Inevitably a mutual delegitimization process between State and Extreme Right led to public inquiries and the emplacement of agencies and legislation to restrict the new radicalism. This was understandable since some Extreme Right groups employed violence or appeared to perform actions preparatory thereto. It also led to show-trials and para-State crime targeted against particular groups especially in the period 1988-91. Thereafter, Extreme Right organizations pursued strategies which led to electoral breakthroughs, both rural and urban as a style of Right-wing populist politics unfolded in the 1990's. It was in this period that the Extreme Right encouraged the co-optation by the State of the residual Left in the anti-racist fight. This seemed natural, as the Extreme Right's vocal references to popular democracy, national independence and the nativist heritage, had permitted it to occupy the Old Left's traditional ground. In that way too, it was "The Other Radicalism".

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 288-297).

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Oklahoma State University, 2007. / Adviser: Yonglin Jiang. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2007. / Thesis Advisor(s): Kadhim, Abbas ; Miller, Alice. "December 2007." Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Mar 26, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 45-46).

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2007. / Thesis Advisor(s): Kadhim, Abbas ; Miller, Alice. "December 2007." Description based on title screen as viewed on January 24, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 45-46). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, The Australian Centre, Faculty of the Arts, 2003. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 281-300).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of English, 1998. / Typescript (photocopy). Bibliography: p.338-359.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2005. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Arts. Includes bibliographical references (p. 320-349).