This book employs discursive psychology to examine how far-right discourse on issues related to multiculturalism is received, interpreted, adapted and contested in political rhetoric and informal talk. It brings together the latest research from sociology and media studies concerning the circulation of far-right messages in the era of digitalization and the ‘hybrid media system’, and critical discursive psychology research into political and lay discourse pertaining to multiculturalism. Drawing on empirical material from the Nordic context allows for an analysis of political discourse within societies in which a strong tradition of social democratic welfare states now exists alongside the rise of populist and far-right parties. Operating in countries with comparatively high national internet and social media penetration, this book explores the extent to which the success of these parties is linked to their skilful use of social media, in order to mobilise popular support for their political agendas. The collection’s multilevel perspective aims to further the understanding of how the anti-immigration and anti-multiculturalist ideologies propagated by these parties contributes to the mainstreaming of their rhetoric among the political ‘elite’, as well as to the societal normalization of nationalist and xenophobic discourse. In doing so it will provide fresh insights for students and scholars of sociology, social psychology, discourse analysis, media and communication, and political science.

This edited volume examines populist radical right parties in the Nordic region. Somewhat surprisingly given the image of a consensual, egalitarian, and progressive region of Europe, the Nordic countries have been fertile ground for the radical right. Not only have radical right parties persisted for many decades, but they are currently much stronger in this region than in most other European countries today. In this book, the contributors analyse the electoral, ideological, and organisational aspects of the radical right in the Nordic region: The Progress Party in Norway (Fremskrittspartiet, FrP), the Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD), Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti, DF), and the Finns party (Perussuomalaiset, PS). It also explores how mainstream parties and the media have reacted to the rise of the radical right, whether the radical right is integrated into mainstream politics, the extent to which they challenge the dominant ideological paradigm of Nordic politics and whether they mobilise and organise differently to other parties. Understanding the Nordic radical right is crucial to comprehending the transformation of Nordic politics but also changes in European politics more generally. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Scandinavian politics, populism, the radical right, and comparative party politics.

Influencer Politics focuses on current discussions about the role and impact of social media influencers in the political sphere, and how the personal, political and promotional often converges in digital media. A key question is how core ideas of influencer culture - authenticity, intimacy, commercialism, and self-branding - shape the ways in which politics are expressed and understood in this context, as well as opens up space for new ways of connecting and interacting with the public. It also highlights the way that influencer culture itself is infused with politics, where issues of, for example, empowerment and exploitation are articulated and discussed in different ways. The book is the result of a common interest among researchers engaged in work on political aspects of influencer marketing and influencer culture from critical, cultural, and strategic perspectives, and offers a range of case studies devoted to both the promises and limitations of influencer politics.

Expressions of hate are words or actions that are discriminatory, hostile, or violent to a person or group for racial, sexual, ideological, ethnic, or identity reasons. Such expressions contribute to an environment of prejudice and intolerance towards those who are targeted. The spread of hate speech has been exacerbated by the growth of social media networks, and dissemination strategies (e.g., astroturfing) are becoming increasingly complex. Although there has been an exponential increase in the study of hate speech in recent years, most methods have focused on the English language, limiting research of the phenomenon in other languages such as Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. It is crucial to understand the role played by digital media and journalism in the dissemination, detection, and control of hate speech from current digital scenarios. News Media and Hate Speech Promotion in Mediterranean Countries provides relevant theoretical frameworks and the latest empirical research findings about hate speech studies including into prejudice and intolerance. Covering topics such as detecting hate speech, linguistic challenges, and the taxonomy of hate speech, this book is ideal for political decision makers, third-sector representatives, journalists, digital media professionals, and researchers.

This open access book is the product of three years of academic research that has been carried out in the EU-funded Jean Monnet Network on “Post-Truth Politics, Nationalism and the Delegitimation of European Integration” since 2019. Drawing on the multidisciplinary expertise of the network’s members, the book explores the impact of the phenomenon of post-truth politics on European integration and the European Union. It places particular emphasis on how post-truth politics has played out in the public sphere and asks what impact the phenomenon has had on public deliberation, but reflects also on its implications for democracy in a wider sense. This book is primarily written for audiences with an interest in politics and policy making, including academics, policy makers and civil-society actors. Thanks to its accessible style, the book should however also be an asset to wider audiences.