Racist Discourses and Hateful Propaganda. Three Populist Identity Groups in Québec
This exploratory article aims to identify the elements of “hate propaganda” used by three populist identity groups (Atalante, La Meute, Fédération des Québécois de souche) on their public Facebook pages between January 29 and March 15, 2017, after the Attack of January 29 at the Great Mosque of Québec. The article defines identity-based populist groups in Québec, and refers to the main mechanisms of racism, including the “traditional” processes used by traditional media, which influence the ideas and representations of the public (Agenda Setting, Framing, Priming), the “classical” propaganda techniques and the various legal guidelines (criminal and civil) that define hate propaganda in Canada. The article shows how the opinion leaders and/or administrators of these public Facebook pages make strategic use of these mechanisms (to fuel neo-nationalism, to orient exchanges on identity issues, to maintain a sense of crisis and belonging together), and whose detrimental effects are evident.