Discursive constructions of otherness in populist radical right political blogs. (26th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sakki, Inari; Pettersson, Katarina
• Is Part Of: European journal of social psychology. Volume 46:Number 2(2016)
• Page Start: 156
• Page End: 170
• Publication Date: 2015-08-26
• Subjects: Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2142
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0046-2772

Abstract

Abstract: This article provides a comparative study of the discursive construction and use of Otherness among anti‐immigration populist radical right politicians in Sweden and Finland. Based on rhetorical and critical discursive psychology, our analyses of discourse within nine political blogs identified three distinct representations of Otherness. These representations of a deviant group of people, of a threatening ideology and of inner enemies are highly familiar from previous research on radical right discourse. However, what seems to characterize populist radical right discourse in the Nordic context is the strong reliance on the rhetorical juxtaposition between the welfare system and immigration. Our study furthermore highlights how populist radical right politicians exploit the digital discursive tools provided by political blogging. These tools, first, create a sense of connectedness and mutual understanding between blogger and reader and, second, allow the blogger to convey messages that are hostile towards immigrants and ethnic minorities without expressing an explicit personal opinion. In combination, the features provided by political blogging and the discursive and rhetorical strategies that deny racism make discourse within a populist radical right political blog especially powerful and convincing. We conclude that research must be sensitive to this 'digital discourse', as it reaches a public far beyond the sphere of a political blog through its potential to spread and influence mainstream media.