Radicals with a cause: How Nordiska motståndsrörelsen expresses grievances in its violent political mobilization

Sammanfattning: Radicalization is a debated concept and should a consensus arrive on its meaning, the ambiguity of the process would most likely remain. This research paper does not side with any model of radicalization but instead chooses to focus on one concept present in much of this research, namely grievance. Through the horizontal inequality thesis, grievance is operationalized as an inequality pertaining to a specific group in different domains of life. Using this understanding, the paper examines how the Swedish right-wing organization Nordiska motståndsrörelsen perceives itself economically, politically, socially and culturally disadvantaged. This is examined through the organization’s articulations of grievance in its propaganda material. The material is examined through qualitative content analysis, and this confirms that grievances are indeed found according to these categories within the material. The political and cultural grievances dominate the narratives and are most influential in shaping the identity of the organization. Moreover, the grievances illustrate a deeply unjust society in which extremism is presented as the only means of meaningful change. These insights provide a deep understanding of one aspect of radicalization.