Exploring culture war related attacks on public libraries: Results from a pilot study on information activities of the far-right
2025 (English)In: Information research, E-ISSN 1368-1613, Vol. 30, no CoLIS, p. 344-365
Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Sustainable development
SDG 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Abstract [en]
Introduction. This paper reports initial findings from a research project focusing onhow information activities of the far-right promoting ideologically motivatedpressure and threats against cultural institutions develop, spread and unfold, thelogic governing these attacks and how they affect public libraries and librarians.
Method and analysis. The project employs the theoretical framework of practicetheory and a netnographic approach. The paper outlines the project and reports theoutcomes of a pilot study using data-driven digital methods and content analysis toanalyse digital interactions from a Swedish far-right media outlet.
Results. The findings from the pilot study indicate that online information activitiesof the far-right display a view of public libraries as leftist and as potential threats tothe nation, echoing ethnic nationalism and authoritarian views commonlyassociated with the far-right.
Conclusions. Indications that librarians, as civil servants, are increasingly the targetof ideologically driven threats and antagonisms warrant further scholarly attention.The pilot study reflects how quantitative procedures are necessary for the analysisof large amounts of data, but the functionality of the digital methods need to betested and adjusted according to context, and qualitative approaches are necessaryfor a nuanced and contextual understanding.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
University of Borås , 2025. Vol. 30, no CoLIS, p. 344-365
Keywords [en]
Library studies, social media, public libraries, far-right discourse, digital methods
National Category
Information Studies
Research subject
Humanities, Library and Information Science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-138843DOI: 10.47989/ir30colis52333ISI: 001538779200026Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105007099914OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-138843DiVA, id: diva2:1960625
Conference
12th International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK, 2nd-5th June, 2025.
2025-05-232025-05-232026-01-21Bibliographically approved