• Medientyp: E-Artikel
  • Titel: A Peripheral Movement? : Querdenken in the Critical Public Discourse about the COVID-19 Pandemic : Querdenken in the Critical Public Discourse about the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Beteiligte: Kern, Thomas; Opitz, Dahla; Polenz, Julian; Pruisken, Insa; Tell, Sarah
  • Erschienen: Berghahn Books, 2023
  • Erschienen in: German Politics and Society
  • Sprache: Nicht zu entscheiden
  • DOI: 10.3167/gps.2023.410202
  • ISSN: 1558-5441; 1045-0300
  • Schlagwörter: Sociology and Political Science ; History ; Cultural Studies
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  • Beschreibung: <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>This study analyzes the interplay between the public image and the self-image of the German Querdenken movement during the <jats:sc>covid</jats:sc>-19 pandemic. First, we reconstruct the public image of Querdenken with data from the newspaper <jats:italic>Süddeutsche Zeitung</jats:italic>. Our findings reveal a multifaceted network of critical arguments against the government's public health measures during the crisis. Querdenken remained at the periphery of this newspaper discourse because it was mostly perceived as anti-democratic, particularistic, and irrational. Next, we compare this public image with Querdenken's self-image using the movement's press releases. Our analysis shows that Querdenken's supporters responded to public criticism by counter-labeling their critics as untrustworthy, conspiratorial, and corrupt. Our conclusion finds that due to its highly contentious “anti-science” and “anti-elite” approach, Querdenken failed to produce a positive “resonance” within the public sphere and developed only limited civil power.</jats:p>