Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Great Replacement Conspiracy Theories Across Europe

Birchall, Clare ; Blanuša, Nebojša ; Butter, Michael ; Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta LU orcid ; Hardos, Pavol ; Jerbic, Vedran ; Knight, Peter ; Hinnu, Mariliis ; Menise, Tatjana and Milosovic,, Jasna , et al. (2026) p.116-160
Abstract
Taking Great Replacement conspiracy theories as the central focus, this chapter considers their manifestation in the ‘Balkan Triangle’ (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina), the Baltics (Estonia and Latvia in particular), Central Europe (with Poland and Slovakia as the case studies), German-speaking countries (focusing on Germany and Austria) and the UK. The chapter contextualises Great Replacement talk historically and geographically, highlights the key tropes and antagonists in Great Replacement theories and considers how platform affordances shape Great Replacement talk in each region, the purposes to which this term is put and the aesthetic or discursive strategies used. In all instances, Great Replacement talk resonates with deeply... (More)
Taking Great Replacement conspiracy theories as the central focus, this chapter considers their manifestation in the ‘Balkan Triangle’ (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina), the Baltics (Estonia and Latvia in particular), Central Europe (with Poland and Slovakia as the case studies), German-speaking countries (focusing on Germany and Austria) and the UK. The chapter contextualises Great Replacement talk historically and geographically, highlights the key tropes and antagonists in Great Replacement theories and considers how platform affordances shape Great Replacement talk in each region, the purposes to which this term is put and the aesthetic or discursive strategies used. In all instances, Great Replacement talk resonates with deeply rooted anxieties about national identity, values and territory – it is, therefore, a non-necessary but nevertheless amplifying component of political and social discourses about immigration and social reproduction. The chapter argues that while Great Replacement talk travels online, its most influential disseminators are not social media pundits or the algorithms that amplify them but politicians using every platform available – both online and offline – to leverage anxiety about demographic change. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
conspiracy theories, great replacement, migration, europe, ukraine
host publication
Conspiracy theories in the European Digital Sphere
editor
Birchal, Clare ; Blanusa, Nebojsa ; Butter, Michael ; Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta ; Knight, Peter and Madisson, Marii-Lis
pages
45 pages
publisher
Routledge
ISBN
9781003667223
9781041129141
project
Researching Europe, Digitalisation and Conspiracy Theories
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e7a7191e-ca45-411f-8e84-cd2b7b03f524
alternative location
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003667223-5/great-replacement-conspiracy-theories-across-europe-clare-birchall-neboj%C5%A1a-blanu%C5%A1a-michael-butter-el%C5%BCbieta-dr%C4%85%C5%BCkiewicz-pavol-hardo%C5%A1-vedran-jerbi%C4%87-peter-knight-mari-liis-madisson-tatjana-menise-jasna-milo%C5%A1evi%C4%87-%C4%91or%C4%91evi%C4%87-mara-precoma-vladimir-turja%C4%8Danin?context=ubx&refId=a98cb56d-6be1-42ce-a6a7-b34b041faa10
date added to LUP
2026-08-03 20:20:50
date last changed
2026-08-18 11:50:20
@inbook{e7a7191e-ca45-411f-8e84-cd2b7b03f524,
  abstract     = {{Taking Great Replacement conspiracy theories as the central focus, this chapter considers their manifestation in the ‘Balkan Triangle’ (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina), the Baltics (Estonia and Latvia in particular), Central Europe (with Poland and Slovakia as the case studies), German-speaking countries (focusing on Germany and Austria) and the UK. The chapter contextualises Great Replacement talk historically and geographically, highlights the key tropes and antagonists in Great Replacement theories and considers how platform affordances shape Great Replacement talk in each region, the purposes to which this term is put and the aesthetic or discursive strategies used. In all instances, Great Replacement talk resonates with deeply rooted anxieties about national identity, values and territory – it is, therefore, a non-necessary but nevertheless amplifying component of political and social discourses about immigration and social reproduction. The chapter argues that while Great Replacement talk travels online, its most influential disseminators are not social media pundits or the algorithms that amplify them but politicians using every platform available – both online and offline – to leverage anxiety about demographic change.}},
  author       = {{Birchall, Clare and Blanuša, Nebojša and Butter, Michael and Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta and Hardos, Pavol and Jerbic, Vedran and Knight, Peter and Hinnu, Mariliis and Menise, Tatjana and Milosovic,, Jasna and Precoma, Mara and Turjacanin, Vladimir}},
  booktitle    = {{Conspiracy theories in the European Digital Sphere}},
  editor       = {{Birchal, Clare and Blanusa, Nebojsa and Butter, Michael and Drazkiewicz, Elzbieta and Knight, Peter and Madisson, Marii-Lis}},
  isbn         = {{9781003667223}},
  keywords     = {{conspiracy theories; great replacement; migration; europe; ukraine}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{116--160}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  title        = {{Great Replacement Conspiracy Theories Across Europe}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/258367841/Great_Replacement_Conspiracy_Theories_Across_Europe_26_08_18_11_37_45.pdf}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}