På demokratins bakgård : en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av diskussioner om medial mörkläggning i kommentarsfält på Facebook

Sammanfattning

This is a qualitative content analysis of discussions that take place on what I call the backyard of democracy. I examine comment boxes on Facebook discussing the Swedish daily news paper Dagens Nyheters alleged obscuration of sexual harassments that took place during the festival We Are Sthlm in 2015. Using Wodaks categorization of the radical right populist discourse in Europe, I find that the comment boxes to a large degree consists of shared views where ”those up there” are portrayed as liars and cowards and are repeatedly undermined by a consistent ”I told you so”-mentality. The problem with sexual harassments is explained to be the result of cultural clashes where ”those out there” are portrayed as culturally inferior to ”us”. The solution to the problem is described to be expulsion. Furthermore ”the people” are considered to have been betrayed by the establishment, the media are accused of censorship, and the alternative media are depicted as truth tellers. I note that the comments are characterized by anger and confidence rather than fear and apprehension. Finally, this study evokes questions about challenges for liberal democracy that become apparent for those who make the effort to wander the backyard of democracy.