From Brexit to Covid-19: Counter-politics and far-right politicisation on social media

Hall, Natalie-Anne 2024. From Brexit to Covid-19: Counter-politics and far-right politicisation on social media. Tyler, Katharine, Banducci, Susan A. and Degnen, Cathrine, eds. Reflections on Polarisation and Inequalities in Brexit Pandemic Times: Fractured Lives in Britain, Routledge, Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

During the covid-19 pandemic, governments around the world introduced social restrictions and vaccine mandates to curb the spread of the virus and save lives. Although many supported these measures, online mobilisations soon emerged in opposition, organising offline demonstrations. These movements, while ostensibly advocating for individual freedoms, became intertwined with illiberal and racist causes and far-right conspiracy milieus, suggesting that fear and frustration were being exploited by the far and populist right to radicalise individuals online. This chapter sheds light on the mechanisms behind this phenomenon using evidence from my online-offline qualitative study of the politicisation of Brexit supporters on Facebook after the EU referendum. The interpretations and experiences of individuals who had become engaged with far-right ideology through online advocacy for Brexit serve as an instructive example, illustrating how populist discursive devices and social media affordances provide an ideological bridge to far-right conspiracy theory and a pipeline to engagement with far-right ideology.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Publisher:	Routledge
ISBN:	9781032593159
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	21 November 2024
Last Modified:	03 Dec 2024 10:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/174215

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