Harmless Us, Dangerous Them. Securitization in Authoritarian Populist Discourse on Social Media

Abstract

Image-centered social media platforms have become powerful networks for disseminating visual securitization. They have surpassed traditional media by providing non-state actors, such as authoritarian populist parties, with unprecedented opportunities to act as central securitizing forces. This dissertation investigates how these political actors use visuals and digital platforms to construct and spread fear, threat, and (in)security. The thesis uses Securitization theory and Critical Discourse Analysis, takes a comparative approach, and follows qualitative methods. It draws on three empirical studies: these explore features of authoritarian populist actors’ visual securitizing discourse, assess the impact of national context on its construction, and compare its traits across three digital platforms. The material consists of datasets from social media spanning different electoral periods. The studies show that authoritarian populist parties use both verbal and visual modes to initiate securitization. The core discourse remains consistent across cases. Its expression, however, depends on socio-political environments and digital infrastructures that shape its production, circulation, and consumption. Overall, this work offers a comprehensive understanding of the securitizing discourse of authoritarian populist parties on social media and highlights its significant political and social implications, from normalizing crisis rhetoric to intensifying social divisions and weakening democratic pluralism.