The Weaponization of Free Speech in Populist Discourse

Sammanfattning

Previous research suggests that freedom of speech has become an increasingly debated concept in contemporary politics, particularly within the rise of populist discourse. This thesis asks how left and right populist actors in the United States invoke “free speech” rhetoric in response to cases of political violence, and whether these patterns can be understood as weaponization of free speech. The analysis draws on public statements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz in response to the deaths of Charlie Kirk and George Floyd, which catalyzed intense protests and debates. We conducted a qualitative content analysis using NVivo15 as a tool to systematically code recurring themes of populism and weaponization in the material. A codebook was preliminarily developed based on existing research on populism and weaponization of free speech, and was later refined and expanded as patterns emerged during analysis. Our findings indicate that free speech rhetoric is invoked strategically by both left- and right-wing populist actors, although in different ways. The right-wing actors display patterns of inconsistency and moralized narratives, pointing to a stronger tendency toward weaponization of free speech. Left-wing actors more often frame threats through securitization of systemic issues and institutions.