Opportunistic politicians have exploited the economic crisis, terrorist attacks, and an unprecedented influx of refugees to bring hateful and reactionary views from the margins of political discourse into the mainstream. Openly xenophobic ideas are becoming state policy. How did we get here? Polakow-Suransky chronicles how the backlash against refugees and immigrants has reshaped our political landscape. He argues that the greatest threat comes not from outside, but from within, and established democracies are at risk of betraying their core values and falling apart.

Introduction : the Threat Within -- Section I. Strangers to Outcasts : The guests who overstayed -- When integration fails -- The nativist nanny state ; Section II. From Outcasts to Terrorists : The Danish cartoon crisis and the limits of free speech -- Out of sight, out of mind : Europe's fantasy of offshoring -- Terror and backlash -- Nostalgia, fear and the Front National's resurrection ; Section III. From Terorists to Usurpers : The great replacement -- Freedom of religion--for some -- Barbarians at the gates -- They're stealing our jobs -- The rise of white identity politics ; Section IV. The New Normal : When the right turns left--and the left's voters go right -- Xenophobia beyond black and white -- Willkommenskultur vs. Guantanamo -- Camp of the saints at the White House -- Epilogue.