Bittner-Gibbs, FINAL THESIS, with Corrections
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Statsvetenskapliga institutionen "Vi är verklighetens röst." ("We are the voice of reality.") A critical discourse analysis of SD-Kvinnor on Facebook from 2014-2018 Alyssa Bittner-Gibbs Independent Research Project in Political Science, 30 credits International Master’s Programme in Political Science 2018, Fall Supervisor: Johan Nordensvärd Word count (excluding appendices): 19,931 "Vi är verklighetens röst." ("We are the voice of reality.") A critical discourse analysis of SD-Kvinnor on Facebook from 2014-2018 Alyssa Bittner-Gibbs Abstract Internationally recognized for and culturally self-identifying as a gender equality advocate, Sweden has seen a recent uptick in popular support among women voters for its far-right nationalist political party, the Sweden Democrats (SD). While nationalist movements are primarily distinguished by their nativist political rhetoric, academic study has consistently shown that nationalism also consistently promotes a traditional gender duality while denouncing feminism and gender equality practices. Likewise, SD also consistently opposes feminist and gender equality practices in stark contrast with mainstream Swedish political parties. This qualitative discourse analysis collected, categorized, and analyzed recent Facebook posts circulated by the Sweden Democrat Women's Association (Sverigedemokraterna kvinnoförbund) leadership to identify why women (ostensibly) served by Swedish state feminism vote for and even join SD in a leadership capacity. By utilizing constructivist theoretical frameworks of social and cultural identity with a post-structural analytical methodology focusing on problem conception, representation and dissemination, the resulting analysis shows that the dominating discursive theme is practically summarized as: "(in)security." In short, SD women perceive Sweden's (equality) feminism as unrelatable, irrelevant and/or intrusive in an "everyday" existence framed by a rapidly changing Swedish society due to record immigration, increased economic insecurity, and a weakening welfare state. In closing, three prime research areas are identified for future study: image-based content analysis of SD's political messaging, increased incorporation of security frameworks in investigative writing, as well as broadened research into how Swedish equality feminism can best include two consistently detached societal clusters: native-Swedish conservative and non- Western immigrant women. Keywords Sweden Democrats, women, nationalism, gender equality, qualitative discourse analysis, WPR method, social media Acknowledgements I give sincere thanks to Johan Nordensvärd for his engagement and useful commentary throughout the development of this master thesis. Likewise, I acknowledge my steadfast friends and family, here and abroad, who gave encouragement in the pursuit of this Master of Political Science degree. The deepest gratitude of all goes to my husband Keith and our daughters, Alice and Matilda. You three have been especially reassuring and patient with me throughout an often hectic two years; you are my everything. I love and thank you most of all. Alyssa Bittner-Gibbs Stockholm, 17 May 2019 Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Identified research gaps ............................................................................................................... 6 2. Research Purpose .................................................................................................................. 7 3. Theoretical frameworks ........................................................................................................ 9 3.1 Constructivism in identity and problem representation .......................................................... 9 3.2 Nationalism and (biological) gender roles ................................................................................ 10 3.3 Nationalism and (cultural) gender roles .................................................................................. 12 3.3.1 Swedish gender equality as national "hegemonic feminism" .............................................................. 13 3.4 Intersectionality and race with "othering" and "belonging" ................................................ 15 3.4.1 Intersectionality ................................................................................................................................... 15 3.4.2 Race and Swedish "hegemonic whiteness" ......................................................................................... 15 3.4.3 "Othering" and "belonging" ................................................................................................................. 17 3.5 Post-structuralism and discourse theory ................................................................................. 18 4. Analytical framework .......................................................................................................... 21 5. Data sourcing and selection methods ................................................................................. 23 Figure 5.1: SD-Kvinnor Facebook page vs. Facebook group (as of 29 Dec 2018) ...................................... 23 Figure 5.2: Summary of data collection and selection process ..................................................................... 25 Figure 5.3: Summary of data units by media category and production year ................................................ 25 5.1 Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 26 6. Results and Interpretation ................................................................................................... 28 Q1. What policy issues and perceptions do SD-Kvinnor highlight relating to their beliefs about women in Swedish society? .............................................................................................................. 28 6.1.1 Men and women are equal...but different ............................................................................................ 28 6.1.2 Not all women's choices are equally valued and respected ................................................................. 28 6.1.3 Women-dominated professions need improvement, not quotas .......................................................... 29 6.1.4 Medical progress necessitates further abortion limits .......................................................................... 29 Q2. What changes in Swedish society are attracting and politically motivating SD-Kvinnor? 32 6.2.1 Increased foreign immigration makes us less safe and secure ............................................................. 32 6.2.2 Increased foreign immigration threatens Swedish gender equality ..................................................... 33 6.2.3 Sweden's Christian heritage and culture is endangered by Islam ........................................................ 35 6.2.4 A further weakening and stretched welfare state ................................................................................. 35 Q3. How does SD-Kvinnor articulate, explicitly or implicitly, their arguments on social media and how do these vary (or not) from other analyses? ................................................................... 37 6.3.1 Swedish individual vs. Swedish state .................................................................................................. 37 6.3.2 We are driven by love .......................................................................................................................... 37 6.3.3 On the defensive .................................................................................................................................. 38 6.3.4 Political activism as vehicle of empowerment .................................................................................... 38 7. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 39 7.1 Suggested further research ........................................................................................................ 42 8. References ............................................................................................................................ 43 8.1 Academic references .................................................................................................................. 43 8.2 Interpretative references ........................................................................................................... 47 9. Appendix .............................................................................................................................. 48 9.1 Excerpts: What policy issues and perceptions do SD-Kvinnor highlight relating to their beliefs about women in Swedish society? ....................................................................................... 48 9.2 Excerpts: What changes in Swedish society are attracting and politically motivating SD- Kvinnor? ............................................................................................................................................ 52 9.3 Excerpts: How does SD-Kvinnor articulate, explicitly or implicitly, their