Chapter 2: Mainstreaming the Message
Summary
This chapter discusses the different pathways by which far-right ideas/beliefs enter and become part of mainstream discourse. The three pathways to mainstreaming far-right extremism are: the rise of populist parties and candidates, the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories, and the weaponization of youth culture.
The rise of populist parties and candidates mainstreams the far-right message through rhetoric that is anti-elite, but also exclusionary, calling for a focus on the “pure” or “true” citizens of a nation. This rhetoric attempts to define the characteristics of the “pure” citizen, and encourages both domestic and foreign policies that benefit only those citizens. Anti-globalization populist rhetoric is the primary driver of mainstreaming far-right ideologies where it blames both the elites and immigrants for increasing insecurity or relative deprivation of ordinary citizens. In this same vein, immigration is seen by the far-right as an existential threat, both from racial/ethnic and cultural perspectives, and anti-immigrant policy rhetoric helps mainstream this far-right conspiracy theory.
The internet and modes of online communications make it far easier for the far-right to spread disinformation and conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories are a mechanism of mainstreaming far-right beliefs because even if people do not buy in to the conspiracy itself, they can still subconsciously absorb the “us” versus “them” perspective that results in suspicion or biases. There are “at least four impacts of far-right conspiracy theories on the mainstream: undermining democratic institutions and expertise, identifying key enemies, linking racialized territory to national security, and mobilizing violence by fringe actors” (p.60). Far-right conspiracy theories are disinformation intended to explain contemporary events with narratives with their racist perceptions of citizenship and justifying the use of violence to protect their homeland.
Weaponizing youth culture as a tool of mainstreaming has two major facets – changing the aesthetic of the far-right, and using humor, jokes, and irony as coded language to promote exclusionary and dehumanizing messages. The far-right has mostly abandoned their previous identifiable look to a more mainstream appearance deliberately as a way of softening their image to outsiders. This change in appearance also allows far-right youth to disguise their extremist beliefs beneath a mainstream aesthetic. The use of humor, irony, and satire are also a tool of mainstreaming far right messaging, particularly through the use of memes. This use of humor and satire create a sort of insiders’ club for those that “get the joke” (p.66). As with the change in aesthetics, humor is a tool to present far-right ideas in a “softer” way and serve to “desensitize youth to violence, dehumanize ethnic and religious minorities, and make light of past atrocities and contemporary hate” (p.67). The use of humor and satire help widen the Overton window of acceptable political ideas.
The chapter concludes with a discussion of how these three domains of mainstreaming far-right beliefs intersect and reinforce their impact and relevance by appearing in multiple spheres of everyday life.
Comprehension Questions
1. What are the different ways that mainstreaming extremist ideas benefits the far-right?
2. How do anti-globalization perspectives play into far-right narratives?
3. How do conspiracy theories and disinformation help spread far-right beliefs/ideologies?
4. What is the difficulty for journalists or other people in authority in trying to refute conspiracy theories?
5. How does changing the “look” or aesthetics of the far-right help mainstream their ideas?
6. How does the use of humor, irony, and satire help mainstream far-right ideas?
7. What are the different impacts of the far-right’s use of humor, irony, and satire on youth who are exposed to it in multiple spheres of life?
Discussion Questions
1. What information is new to you?
2. Discuss different examples of populist rhetoric that you are familiar with (on the local level) and compare it to far-right beliefs/ideologies.
3. Discuss different examples of conspiracy theories that you are familiar with, and the suspicions or biases that are fundamental to the conspiracy theory.
4. Discuss the ways in which “softening” far-right ideas/messaging through aesthetics and humor can make it easier for individuals, particularly youth, to become engaged with the content.
5. Questioning or challenging material that can later be claimed as “just a joke” can be difficult – what are some avenues to try and address humor or satire, including memes, that contain exclusionary or dehumanizing material?