Polling done by Ashcroft suggests a high correlation between people who thought that multiculturalism was a “force for ill” and a vote in favour Brexit. Nonetheless, very little research has been...Show morePolling done by Ashcroft suggests a high correlation between people who thought that multiculturalism was a “force for ill” and a vote in favour Brexit. Nonetheless, very little research has been carried out on providing explanations to this relationship. Thusly, my research paper attempts to analyse how UKIP framed multiculturalism before and during the Brexit campaign (from 2015-2016) by conducting a political discourse analysis. My findings suggest that UKIP framed multiculturalism as a failed policy that was to blame for the perceived lack of integration of minorities communities in British society. Furthermore, this backlash to multiculturalism led to a defining of British identity through the “othering” of these same communities, and a fervent rejection of Islam. Lastly, the framing of multiculturalism as a failed policy also creates the “othering” of the political establishment (who support multiculturalism), thus continuing the discourse of the “people” against the “elite”.Show less
This thesis offers a qualitative descriptive analysis to explain what drivers affect the development of Euroscepticism within the Conservative Party (UK) between 1990 and 2016. Three drivers are...Show moreThis thesis offers a qualitative descriptive analysis to explain what drivers affect the development of Euroscepticism within the Conservative Party (UK) between 1990 and 2016. Three drivers are found to have enormous impact on Conservative Euroscepticism. These are as follows: inner party divide, radical right threat and issue salience within party strategy. The Conservatives became increasingly divided over European integration throughout the time frame. Through the attempts to mend this divide by Conservative leaders, most importantly John Major and David Cameron, they increasingly adopted harsher Eurosceptic policies to please their pro/anti EU divided party. UKIP, a radical right party, experienced electoral success throughout the time frame, which is seen as a threat towards the Conservatives, and thus a driver of Conservative Euroscepticism. Lastly, UKIP’s success largely interplays with issue salience. This thesis sees issue salience as a driver of Conservative Euroscepticism, as both parties adopted shifts in political strategy in order to compete for electoral success in light of EU issue salience. All three factors interplay; meaning the one affects the other.Show less
Nationalism, Euroscepticism and populism are intertwined concepts in many Western European political parties. Discourse reveals the relationship between nationalism and Euroscepticism to be the...Show moreNationalism, Euroscepticism and populism are intertwined concepts in many Western European political parties. Discourse reveals the relationship between nationalism and Euroscepticism to be the adherence of discursive rules based on Kohn’s dichotomy. The political parties PVV and UKIP are discursively analysed, resulting in an illustration of their reasoning justified by xenophobia, ethno-cultural homogeneity and Western-centrism through populist language.Show less
