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Contentious framings: : Swedish civil society actors’ experiences of hate speech, threats, and harassment from multiple perpetrators

Scaramuzzino, Gabriella LU and Scaramuzzino, Roberto LU (2025) In Journal of Political Sociology 3(1). p.58-81
Abstract
This article explores civil society actors’ experiences of hate speech, threats, and harassment; specifically those of the harassers or perpetrators. The article draws on a qualitative study with elected representatives, paid employees, and volunteers in different Swedish Civil Society Organisations and social movements. The phenomena are analysed from a relational perspective and theories that frame civil society as a contentious civil sphere. The article offers a complex picture of multiple perpetrators; from anonymous senders and organised crime members to counter movements. The findings show the sectoral, legal, and moral boundaries that are drawn between victims and perpetrators.

Abstract (Swedish)
This article explores civil society actors’ framing of hate speech, threats, and harassment in relation to the type of harasser or perpetrator. The article draws on a qualitative study with elected representatives, paid employees, and volunteers in different
Swedish Civil Society Organisations and social movements. The phenomena are
analysed from a relational perspective and theories of civil society as a contentious
space. The article offers a complex picture of different framings related to multiple
perpetrators; from anonymous senders and organised crime members to counter
movements. The findings show the sectoral, legal, and moral boundaries that are
drawn between victims and perpetrators.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Boundary work, civil society organisations, hate speech, threats, harassment, perpetrators, violence, social movements, public space, relational perspective
in
Journal of Political Sociology
volume
3
issue
1
article number
3
pages
23 pages
ISSN
2950-2144
DOI
10.54195/jps.16891
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b751891a-403d-43e2-9381-ec4c1ed3ca3a
date added to LUP
2025-06-11 13:43:00
date last changed
2025-06-12 11:18:45
@article{b751891a-403d-43e2-9381-ec4c1ed3ca3a,
  abstract     = {{This article explores civil society actors’ experiences of hate speech, threats, and harassment; specifically those of the harassers or perpetrators. The article draws on a qualitative study with elected representatives, paid employees, and volunteers in different Swedish Civil Society Organisations and social movements. The phenomena are analysed from a relational perspective and theories that frame civil society as a contentious civil sphere. The article offers a complex picture of multiple perpetrators; from anonymous senders and organised crime members to counter movements. The findings show the sectoral, legal, and moral boundaries that are drawn between victims and perpetrators.<br/><br/>}},
  author       = {{Scaramuzzino, Gabriella and Scaramuzzino, Roberto}},
  issn         = {{2950-2144}},
  keywords     = {{Boundary work; civil society organisations; hate speech; threats; harassment; perpetrators; violence; social movements; public space; relational perspective}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{58--81}},
  series       = {{Journal of Political Sociology}},
  title        = {{Contentious framings: : Swedish civil society actors’ experiences of hate speech, threats, and harassment from multiple perpetrators}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.54195/jps.16891}},
  doi          = {{10.54195/jps.16891}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}