(iPoster) How Mainstream Accommodation of Far-Right Rhetoric Weakens Anti-Prejudice Norms

• In Event: Poster Session: Racial, Ethnic, Gender, LGBTQ+ Politics & Sexuality and Politics
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Racial, Ethnic, Gender, LGBTQ+ Politics

Abstract

This article investigates the normative consequences of mainstream party accommodation of far-right rhetoric, particularly in shaping citizens' perceptions of anti-prejudice norms. Although much research focuses on far-right parties, I argue that mainstream parties play a more important role in weakening anti-prejudice norms. When center-left or center-right parties adopt the rhetoric of far-right parties, they reduce the perceived pervasiveness of anti-prejudice norms to a greater extent than far-right parties. This is because mainstream parties possess greater normative legitimacy and credibility by virtue of their status as representatives of society as a whole, thus wielding considerable influence over public perception of what constitutes socially acceptable behavior. Empirically, I test this argument by conducting an online survey experiment with 7,200 respondents from Germany and Denmark. The findings show that mainstream parties are more capable than far-right parties in shifting citizens' normative perceptions, making expressions of prejudice more socially acceptable. These findings have important implications for the literature on party accommodation strategies and the literature on prejudice expression, showing that mainstream party adoption of prejudiced rhetoric has potential long-term consequences beyond the electoral and policy arenas.

Author

• Ali Karcic, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University