NORMALISERING AV ANTIMUSLIMSK RETORIK I EUROPA? En kvalitativ studie om antimuslimsk retorik i svenska traditionella partier

Abstract

Existing literature argues that right-wing populist parties have recently gained remarkable success in several EU member states. Thus, they have gained a prominent position in the European political discourse, where they pursue anti-Muslim rhetoric. Based on these conditions, traditional parties have been forced to adapt to right-wing populist parties to a certain extent to avoid losing voter support and appearing competitive in the political arena. This thesis, therefore, examines to what scope Swedish established parties, the Social Democrats and the Moderates, adopted anti-Muslim rhetoric over time in the context of the Sweden Democrats' electoral success. The thesis's theoretical framework is based on Said's studies on Orientalism, where stereotypical notions of Muslims and Muslim culture are highlighted; the essay also underscores notions of the West as a role model for the East. Qualitative content analysis of speeches in parliament, party programs, and election manifestos is studied. The results exclusively indicate that the Moderates adopted anti-Muslim rhetoric over time; however, more research is needed.