Klimatbalans eller social instabilitet? : En diskursanalytisk studie om klimatskepticism på Facebook

Sammanfattning: This thesis is a qualitative study which intends to research how the Swedish climate change sceptic Facebook page Klimatbalans uses its platform and vast follower base to influence the public opinion about climate change science and politics. The purpose of the thesis is to gain a deeper understanding of Klimatbalans’ reasoning behind their climate change sceptic agenda, and how the Facebook page and its followers are contributing to a more polarised political environment regarding climate change. This is done with the help of critical discourse analysis both as a method and theory to better comprehend how the language being used is creating different social practices, and affecting established power structures. This thesis especially focuses on the social practices of disdain for science and political establishment that can be identified throughout the object of study. The theory of discourse analysis in this thesis is intertwined with the concepts of medialisation, science denialism and confirmation bias in order to exemplify different reasons behind polarisation regarding climate change. The conclusion of the thesis shows that the denial of climate change has less to do with actual disbelief in climate change and more with the growing concern having ones needs disregarded in an ever more climate change aware society.