Populist Framing Mechanisms and the Rise of Right-wing Activism in Brazil. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dias, Tayrine; von Bülow, Marisa; Gobbi, Danniel
• Editors: Mayka, Lindsay; Smith, Amy Erica
• Is Part Of: Latin American politics and society. Volume 63:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 69
• Page End: 92
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: populism -- populist framing mechanisms -- impeachment -- right-wing organizations -- protests; Latin America -- Periodicals; Amérique latine -- Périodiques; Sociale ontwikkeling; Politieke ontwikkeling; 980
• DOI: 10.1017/lap.2021.22
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1531-426X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article presents an analysis of the use of populist framing mechanisms by grassroots right-wing organizations. It brings together the social movement literature on framing and the populist literature to understand how actors build an emergent field of activism in a highly contentious context. Based on the analysis of a sample of 4, 574 Facebook posts published by 5 civil society organizations during the campaign to oust Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, it argues that two mechanisms, reductionism and antagonism, enabled actors to focus on similar targets and diagnostics while maintaining relevant differences when seeking to motivate followers and present prognostic frames. These were key mechanisms used by all the actors, albeit with different contents, depending on the frame task. This article contributes to filling gaps in the framing and populist literatures and sheds light on the relevance of populist communication in the rise of right-wing activism.