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Radical pluralism and free speech in online public spaces

The case of North Belgian extreme right discourses

London School of Economics and Political Science, England, B.Cammaerts{at}lse.ac.uk

• Progressive political movements and activists are not the only ones appropriating Web 2.0 as a way to construct independent public spaces and voice counter-hegemonic discourses. By studying (post-) fascist movements, it will be shown that the internet also gives rise to anti-public spaces, voicing hatred and essentialist discourses. In this article, discourses of hate produced by North Belgian (post-)fascist movements and activists will be analysed. Theoretically the analysis is informed by radical pluralism and the limits of freedom of speech in a strong democracy. The cases presented challenge the limits of freedom of speech and of radical pluralism, and bring us to question whether being a racist is a democratic right, whether freedom of speech includes opinions and views that challenge basic democratic values. •

Key Words: freedom of speech • hate speech • public sphere • radical democracy

International Journal of Cultural Studies, Vol. 12, No. 6, 555-575 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1367877909342479


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