Common sense as extremism: the multi-semiotics of contemporary national socialism. Issue 5 (20th October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Westberg, Gustav; Årman, Henning
• Is Part Of: Critical discourse studies. Volume 16:Issue 5(2019)
• Page Start: 549
• Page End: 568
• Publication Date: 2019-10-20
• Subjects: National socialism -- extremist discourse -- multimodal critical discourse analysis -- neo-Nazism -- provenance -- embodiment -- intertextuality -- recontexualization -- nature -- outdoor living; Critical discourse analysis -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1080/17405904.2019.1624183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-5904

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper explores how national socialist aesthetics and semiotics are regimented within the Swedish Nazi milieu today. In order to treat fascism as contemporary ideology, the article applies intertextuality and provenance as analytical concepts in the analysis of how Nazism is re-emerging discursively. The analysis contributes unique insights, as the dataset consists of extremist discourse aimed at providing members of the most prominent Swedish Nazi movement with guidance on how to embody and express national socialism in their everyday lives. The analysis reveals that common-sense notions about 'a natural life' and mainstream aesthetics concerning an outdoor lifestyle emerge as central expressions of a 'natural' and 'healthy' embodiment of national socialism. This aesthetic finds its ideological motive in opposition to a 'sick', 'Jewish' and 'parasitical' way of living. Mainstream notions are thus turned into vehicles for political extremism.