Communication Strategies Behind the Expressions of Dissent During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The chapter presents some of the key communication strategies that can be observed in the expressions of dissent that increased considerably during the pandemic. The dissenting narratives—that is, the texts that speak against dominant institutions and the socio-political consensus by combining elements of conspiracy theories and populism—thrive for two major reasons. First, the narratives voice political sentiments that a significant portion of the population can identify with; they speak against injustices in a way that many would endorse and, simultaneously, include some of the rhetoric of new populist movements on the right. Second, the way dissent is expressed is consistent with the new ways of knowledge acquisition, as the claims are made with the appeal to the individual perspective, fear, and enjoyment. Such conclusions are based on the analysis of the vehement opposition to the World Economic Forum's “The Great Reset” agenda and the pandemic-related conspiracy theories of David Icke.