Description
Abstract:
Paralleled with phenomena such as the re-emergence of far-right parties and the normalization of far-right discourses, which transformed the European political landscape, the idiosyncrasies of violence such as the Christchurch mass shooting in 2019 or the US Capitol attack in 2021 configure critical challenges to society. This paper seeks to engage in the problematization of far-right violence and contribute to the underdeveloped study of this issue in Portugal by addressing the specific relationship between the Portuguese media and far-right violence. As a crucial way of communication, I argue that the media has an essential role in the production and consequent reproduction of narratives that influence the audience's perceptions and that are, sometimes, taken advantage of by far-right entrepreneurs. Through a thematic analysis of the media portrayals of key far-right violence cases in Portugal, I analyse the narrative constructed around their origins, actors, causes and consequences. This study contributes to broader debates around narratives and processes of (de)securitisation of far-right violence.
KeyWords
Far-right; Violence; Media; Narratives; Critical Terrorism Studies; Security; Securitization; Normalization; Thematic Analysis;
