'Our diggers would turn in their graves': nostalgia and civil religion in Australia's far-right. Issue 2 (3rd April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peucker, Mario; Lentini, Peter; Smith, Debra; Iqbal, Muhammad
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of political science. Volume 56:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 189
• Page End: 205
• Publication Date: 2021-04-03
• Subjects: Anzac -- far-right -- civil religion -- Australia -- national identity -- commemoration of wars; Australasia -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; 320
• DOI: 10.1080/10361146.2021.1935448
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1036-1146

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Commemorating wars plays an important role in reinforcing a sense of national identity in many countries. Bellah's (1967) work on civil religion argues that such commemorations have a quasi-sacred character and can have cohesive-inclusive and coercive-exclusive effects. This article examines how references to the Australian New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) are incorporated into far-right messaging online where the Anzac legend is typically discussed with the purpose of conveying a nostalgic image of a narrowly defined, exclusionary national identity. Unconditional glorification of Anzac is used as a benchmark of acceptance, often linked to anti-Muslim messaging and sometimes embedded in a White supremacy agenda. The official Anzac commemorations remain mute to far-right attempts to use Anzac for their own political mobilisation.