University of Twente Student Theses
How do Racialized Individuals Perceive and Experience Social and Political Shifts in Germany? A Social Media Analysis Approach
Zhang, E.C. (2025) How do Racialized Individuals Perceive and Experience Social and Political Shifts in Germany? A Social Media Analysis Approach.
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| Abstract: | The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), an officially declared right-wing extremist party, received 20.80% of votes in the 2025 German federal election—the highest share for a right-wing party since the Third Reich. This political shift raises concerns about potential ramifications, particularly for racialised individuals. Research shows that racism negatively affects mental health, and racialised persons—those assigned characteristics based on phenotypical attributes or stereotypes—are frequent targets of racism. This pilot study explores the experiences and perceptions of racialised individuals in Germany amid these political changes. Data were manually collected from Reddit posts and comments around the 2025 election, yielding 94 pseudonymised entries. Braun and Clarke’s (2019) reflexive thematic analysis identified six main themes: Anger, Fear, Impacts on Daily Functioning, Undesirability, Social Exclusion, and Exhaustion. These themes align with existing research on the psychological effects of racism. The findings highlight the emotional and functional toll of rising right-wing extremism on racialised individuals. Future research should expand this inquiry using larger samples and multiple social media platforms. Additionally, targeted mental health support and policy measures are needed to address the psychological impact of racism and counter the growing influence of extremist political movements. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106286 |
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