Tweeting through a public health crisis: communication strategies of right-wing populist leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Taraktaş, Başak and Esen, Berk and Uskudarli, Suzan (2024) Tweeting through a public health crisis: communication strategies of right-wing populist leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Government and Opposition, 59 (1). pp. 207-228. ISSN 0017-257X (Print) 1477-7053 (Online)

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Abstract

How do right-wing populist leaders address a public health crisis? This article addresses the evolution of right-wing populist leaders' communication tone and style during the COVID-19 pandemic. By analysing the Twitter accounts of Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and Narendra Modi, we explore how right-wing populist leaders control the portrayal of a health crisis from above, shift blame and consolidate support. We argue that while all three leaders initially downplay the pandemic, once they acknowledge the severity of the crisis, they vary in the extent to which they give importance to the coronavirus and shift blame. While Trump uses Twitter to praise himself and his policies, and to polarize the electorate, Modi and Johnson employ Twitter to inform the public and deliver solidarity messages. The frequency of Twitter use and the tone of the language leaders employ depend on the domestic context of that country. Our findings contribute to the scholarship on populist communication.
Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: entity networks; pandemic; populist communication strategies; public health crises; right-wing populist leaders; social media
Divisions: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences > Academic programs > International Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences > Academic programs > Political Science
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Depositing User: Berk Esen
Date Deposited: 15 Apr 2024 15:29
Last Modified: 15 Apr 2024 15:29
URI: https://research.sabanciuniv.edu/id/eprint/48995

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