Poster #97 - Sentience and Subversion: How Extremist Propaganda Frames the Moral Status of Non-Human Animals

• In Event: Poster Session II (posters 80 – 155)

Abstract

For animal rights extremist groups to make their ideology resonate, cultural meanings are strategically embedded throughout their propaganda to frame violence as necessary and a byproduct of vigilante justice. Furthermore, animal-rights movements more broadly have escalated their illegal tactics by engaging in ‘open rescues’ while arguing they are legally justified by relying on the analogy of rescuing a dog in a hot car. Understanding how single-issue animal rights extremist groups construct meaning and mobilize action in the broader animal ‘liberation’ movement is necessary. Accordingly, this research analyzes extremist propaganda from the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) using a dataset of 51 unique pieces of extremist content, including but not limited to manifestos, blog posts, and posters. Drawing on diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational framing, this research examines how the ALF identifies problems, assigns blame, proposes solutions, and creates urgency. Identity framing further helps us reveal how the group constructs opposition between those who defend animals and those responsible for harm. Overall, by applying framing theory to animal rights extremist propaganda, we analyze grievances to understand and explain how these narratives are constructed and propose solutions to deal with the threat.

Authors

• Ruby Koko Markowski, Marist University

• Samantha Smith, Marist University

• Susannah Phillips, Marist University

• Jeremiah Perez-Torres, Marist University

• Catherine Girard, Masaryk University