The Use of Memes Among Far-Right Activists: Individuation, Heroization, and Self-Derision

This article examines how far-right activists use memes on their personal social media profiles as meaningful, situated social practices. Moving beyond the view of memes as purely ideological propaganda tools, our qualitative approach highlights three interrelated dynamics. First, heroization and the mythologizing of the past: many memes reference idealized historical figures or periods, such as Crusaders or Roman legionaries. Activists symbolically align themselves with these glorified identities, using aesthetics and cultural codes to position themselves within the far-right landscape. These figures are typically drawn from an ahistorical, essentialized vision of race, masculinity, or cultural heritage. Second, self-derision as a legitimizing strategy: the use of humor and irony often softens the dramatic or theatrical aspects of political identification. By mocking themselves or exaggerating their references, activists make their ideological stances more socially acceptable and engage in a form of subversive play. Third, political individuation: memes allow activists to assert themselves as individuals within or at the margins of their movements. Through specific references, they express subjective positions or reinterpret traditional ideological frameworks. This interplay of individuation, heroization, and ironic distance reveals how memes function as both aesthetic tools and modes of political selfexpression in far-right digital cultures.