The Right Wing and Instagram: A Visual Content Analysis of Female Depiction

Abstract

- Abstract This research project aims to analyse the social media imagery shared by members of the right wing using confirmed right wing hashtags on the social media image sharing platform Instagram in order to determine what themes are present in the depiction of women. Furthermore it aims to place those images in.the wider context of gender issues within the right wing in order to examine whether there has been a shift in female representation. The main analysis lies in examining all the main themes depicted in the images collected in relation to established gender roles and the right wing ideology. It does so by applying a theoretical framework of visual research methods, whilst also employing a thematic component through the existing literature on the right wing ideology, and gender discourse. The role and view of women within the right wing is a contested issue, and the conclusions drawn from this research project mirror that' Traditionally women have been contextualised with regards to mainly beauty and family, however there has recently been a shift with regards to this which sees women now take a more active role with regards to disseminating right wing ideology through depicting themselves as soldiers and advocates for the right wing cause. Ultimately this dissertation concludes that right wing...