Virality and Morphogenesis of Right Wing Internet Populism

The studies focus on right-wing Internet populism in Germany, France and Italy. Based on a synopsis of socio-constructivist and semiotic paradigms, they stress the current changes of social reality perception and the thereby changing benchmarks, illuminating the effects viral myths, metaphors or memes have on common sense building.

Information and its individual interpretations are highly discussed in social media. Their use and misuse is an important subject for cultural and media studies. The theoretical framework of this volume is based on a synopsis of socio-constructivist and semiotic paradigms, which permit insight into ongoing adjustments of the social perception of reality and the thereby changing benchmarks. The assembled micro-studies concentrate primarily on right-wing Internet populism in Germany, France and Italy and allow a more precise idea of the effects the disseminated myths, metaphors and memes can have: Becoming viral, they can have an influence on a society's semiosphere, i.e.on common sense and social life.

Autorentext

Eva Kimminich is Professor of Cultural Studies and Cultural Semiotics at the University of Potsdam. She is the chief editor of Welt Körper Sprache. Julius Erdmann is a PhD student in Cultural Studies and Philosophy at the University of Potsdam and the University of Paris, Paris 8. Amir Dizdarevi is finishing his Master degree in Linguistics in Potsdam.

Inhalt

Viral Information and Politics; The Rise of "Unpolitical" Right-Wing Rhetoric; Virality of the "Lügenpresse" Phenomenon; Conspiracy Theories about Refugees in Right-Wing Media; The Code BRD GmbH in the German Conspiracy-Ideological Milieu; Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers in Online Networks; Memes as Vehicles for New Right Ideology, Power and Politics on Pixelcanvas; Viral Extremeness as a Semiotic Strategy, The Art of Trolling; Shift of meaning and Semiospheric Turbulences