Es gibt ein anderes Österreich: friedlich, empathisch und solidarisch

Die Protestbewegung Omas gegen rechts

Abstract

“Grandmas against the Right,” an Austrian group of mostly elderly women that vehemently and publicly opposes right-wing extremism, has become a part of the regular Thursday demonstrations against the right-wing ÖVP/FPÖ government and its policies in Austria. This protest continues even after the dissolution of the coalition in May 2019. In the meantime, the grandmas are part of a civil society platform against the right-wing politics in Austria. Founded on Facebook in 2017, the group sees their age as a mandate for resistance against fascist and exclusionary politics and toe fight for a better future for all. The “grandmas” use digital media such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter for networking and mobilization, but their visible protests on the street represent their primary form of action. This paper focuses on the practices of the activists and the communicative actions that result. Through the medial and cultural productions that can emerge in collective associations, participation in social processes takes place. Based on guided interviews with activists of “Grandmas against the Right,” various forms of agency are identified and the significance of media practices in connection with other forms of action is analyzed. In these practices, meanings are negotiated, identification with common goals takes place and various forms of opposition are expressed.