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Article published In:
Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict
Vol. 11:1 (2023) ► pp.48–76

Love thy ‘populist’

The democratization potential of scandals involving transgression of accepted speech and populist logic

ORCID logo | Charles University

This article aims to deepen our understanding of scandals involving both transgression of accepted speech and populist logic by analysing the origins, development, and outcome of a 2018 Czech media controversy. The scandal erupted when a public service radio station was accused of airing pornographic content. It escalated when the accuser added a xenophobic, homophobic and nativist commentary to his complaint. By analysing each party’s arguments, the contested and silenced ideas, and the fantasmatic dimension, I demonstrate how each actor contributed to the escalation of the conflict and facilitated a shift in accepted public conduct. I propose to view such scandals as attempts to break hegemonic silence that reveal the lack of acceptance of a new norm, in this case homosexuality. I conclude that such scandals can support dialogue and reduce the polarization of society if dissenting views are taken into consideration and divisive language avoided by all sides.

Keywords: scandal, norm transgression, populist logic, silencing, homosexuality
Article outline
  • 1.Introducing the ‘porn on the Vltava’ controversy
  • 2.Questions of denomination
  • 3.Methodology: Data and theoretical framework
    • 3.1Data
    • 3.2Main goals, theoretical frameworks and procedure of analysis
      • 3.2.1Silence and silencing
      • 3.2.2The fantasmatic dimension
  • 4.Results: Key actors, contested notions and types of silencing
    • 4.1The antagonistic groups
    • 4.2Vulgar as erotic, obscene, offensive or taboo?
    • 4.3Concealing homosexuality
    • 4.4The fantasmatic and populist logics
    • 4.5Closure of the controversy
  • 5.Concluding remarks: Channelling discontent in times of polarization
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 26 November 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlac.00072.cap
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