Abstract
This project analyses the online propaganda and representation of contemporary far-right organisations from an interdisciplinary perspective; it is centred on the relationship between aesthetics and politics, and focuses on social media platforms. Based on examples from Italy, it investigates the (re)legitimation of far-right ideas in global public discourse since the early 2010s. The Italian case study is viewed as an important social and political battleground for the rise of a ‘new’ global far right personified by Matteo Salvini, leader of the Lega [‘League’] party, and Giorgia Meloni, leader of Fratelli d’Italia [‘Brothers of Italy’] and Italy’s Prime Minister since September 2022.My research examines case studies from the public social media pages of Italian far-right leaders on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) between January 2017 and December 2022. It identifies three thematic areas at the heart of far-right ideology and aesthetics, highlighting connections within a global far-right network. The discussion looks in detail at race, gender, and humour, advancing social-semiotic investigations of selected examples.
Following an introduction to the methodology developed by this research, chapter two shows how online far-right racist aesthetics targets immigrants, Muslims, and Gipsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) minorities by emphasising cultural incompatibilities and depicting apocalyptic scenarios of invasion and ethnic replacement. Chapter three analyses far-right gendered and misogynist aesthetics, drawing connections between mainstream and extreme, local and global, and highlighting convergences between male supremacism, racism, and conspiracist beliefs. Finally, chapter four investigates the role of humour for the dissemination of far-right reactionary messages disguised behind the façade of playful and sarcastic expressions.
The analysis considers language, visuals, symbols, and gestures employed by online far-right aesthetics to influence interpretations of current issues and events. It highlights the power of online social media platforms to affect the offline dimension and consolidate pre-existing systems of oppression and marginalisation.
| Date of Award | 1 Oct 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | John M Foot (Supervisor) & Kevin Passmore (Supervisor) |