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Extreme-right responses to the European economic crisis in Denmark and Sweden : the discursive construction of scape-goats and lodestars

Askanius, Tina LU and Mylonas, Yiannis LU (2015) In Javnost 22(1). p.55-72
Abstract
This article examines extreme-right online media as a site of discursive struggle over definitions of the causes, consequences and remedies of the European economic crisis. The authors focus on two Scandinavian countries, Denmark and Sweden, which have seen a rise in extreme-right activities across different arenas and in different media in the turbulent years since the collapse of global financial markets in 2008. Drawing on a discourse theoretical framework that builds on the work of Laclau and Mouffe (1985), the authors examine how the currently most active and visible extreme-right groups in these two countries understand and respond to the crisis as an opportunity to fuel anti-immigration discourses and prey on sentiments of... (More)
This article examines extreme-right online media as a site of discursive struggle over definitions of the causes, consequences and remedies of the European economic crisis. The authors focus on two Scandinavian countries, Denmark and Sweden, which have seen a rise in extreme-right activities across different arenas and in different media in the turbulent years since the collapse of global financial markets in 2008. Drawing on a discourse theoretical framework that builds on the work of Laclau and Mouffe (1985), the authors examine how the currently most active and visible extreme-right groups in these two countries understand and respond to the crisis as an opportunity to fuel anti-immigration discourses and prey on sentiments of instability and insecurity in the broader population, using online media to “involve members and supporters in the discursive construction of racism” (Atton 2006, 573). The analysis demonstrates how these groups look to Greece, as the “crisis epicentre”, for culturalist explanations for the Eurozone crisis and to the rise there of Golden Dawn as an inspiration for future mobilisations in Nordic and pan-European coalitions. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
European economic crisis, extreme-right activism, online media, cultural, racism, anti-public spheres, Denmark, Sweden
in
Javnost
volume
22
issue
1
pages
55 - 72
publisher
European Inst Communication Culture
external identifiers
  • wos:000369141700004
  • scopus:84949678349
ISSN
1318-3222
DOI
10.1080/13183222.2015.1017249
project
The economic crisis of the EU in the media discourses of the extreme right: the cases of Denmark and Sweden
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9bd83323-1147-4daf-8f06-e6fc2adc1b0f (old id 4695354)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:13:59
date last changed
2022-04-06 17:33:34
@article{9bd83323-1147-4daf-8f06-e6fc2adc1b0f,
  abstract     = {{This article examines extreme-right online media as a site of discursive struggle over definitions of the causes, consequences and remedies of the European economic crisis. The authors focus on two Scandinavian countries, Denmark and Sweden, which have seen a rise in extreme-right activities across different arenas and in different media in the turbulent years since the collapse of global financial markets in 2008. Drawing on a discourse theoretical framework that builds on the work of Laclau and Mouffe (1985), the authors examine how the currently most active and visible extreme-right groups in these two countries understand and respond to the crisis as an opportunity to fuel anti-immigration discourses and prey on sentiments of instability and insecurity in the broader population, using online media to “involve members and supporters in the discursive construction of racism” (Atton 2006, 573). The analysis demonstrates how these groups look to Greece, as the “crisis epicentre”, for culturalist explanations for the Eurozone crisis and to the rise there of Golden Dawn as an inspiration for future mobilisations in Nordic and pan-European coalitions.}},
  author       = {{Askanius, Tina and Mylonas, Yiannis}},
  issn         = {{1318-3222}},
  keywords     = {{European economic crisis; extreme-right activism; online media; cultural; racism; anti-public spheres; Denmark; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{55--72}},
  publisher    = {{European Inst Communication Culture}},
  series       = {{Javnost}},
  title        = {{Extreme-right responses to the European economic crisis in Denmark and Sweden : the discursive construction of scape-goats and lodestars}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13183222.2015.1017249}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13183222.2015.1017249}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}