Normalizing ‘The Great Replacement’ Theory
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2020-08-14
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en
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This thesis argues that the increasing popular support of ‘The Great Replacement’, an Islamophobic conspiracy theory, may be the result of its partial legitimization by mainstream actors. The stereotypical depiction of Muslims that the great replacement relies on is rooted in the same Orientalization of Muslim immigrants that is apparent in more mainstream (anti-immigrant) statements. By applying a Critical Discourse Analysis to an open letter written by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, this thesis exposes substantial similarities in his depiction of societal issues to the great replacement’s most central arguments. Some more overtly anti-immigrant statements notwithstanding, some of these similarities are shown to be the result of Rutte’s unchecked privileged position by exposing the oppression-blindness of some of its contents. Analyzing his role as an influential mainstream actor in the discursive reproduction of systemic racism shows how such assertions influence audiences to become more susceptible to the more extreme assertions of the great replacement. Accordingly, this thesis calls for the responsibilization of influential mainstream actors to investigate their privileged position to prevent unintentional reproduction of systemic racism and further systemic marginalization of already marginalized minority communities.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen