Jorg Matthes

Effects of Anti-Muslim Populist Campaigns on Majority and Minority Groups: Implications for Social Cohesion

This talk gives an overview of experimental research on the effects of anti-Muslim right-wing populist campaigns on attitudes of the Austrian public as well as Muslim minority members.

SESSION 1

News Media, Populism, and Political Communication

+ Group Panel Discussion

Focus

  • Populism
  • Political Communication
  • News Media

Overall, findings suggest two parallel processes.

First, negative portrayals of Muslims in populist campaigns foster explicit and implicit anti-Muslim attitudes of the public.

Second, when Muslim minority are exposed to such campaigns, they react with increased hostility toward the majority population.

This may lead to a “spiral of hostility” in which both groups become increasingly distant to each other. Implications for social cohesion are discussed.