Romania is a family and it needs a strict father: conceptual metaphors at work in radical right populist discourses

Abstract

Investigating Romanian radical right populism, I evidence the gendered nature of conceptual metaphors and provide insights on the specific masculinities that they underpin in such political discourses. With the 2004 presidential elections as a backdrop, the analysis focuses on how the radical right populist candidates articulated in their discourses the conceptual metaphor of the “strict father.” At first, the theoretical standpoints on conceptual metaphors are corroborated with the conceptualization of populist charismatic leadership. Subsequently, a gendered perspective is added to the populist conceptualizations. The leaders' self-representation as messianic fathers of the national family is evidenced by investigating their discursive appeals to protect, discipline and punish the people. Furthermore, I elaborate how conceptual metaphors may be employed to consolidate a position of uncontested leadership and moral superiority of the radical right populist leaders.

Keywords:

• Romania
• conceptual metaphor
• masculinities
• strict father
• radical right populism

Acknowledgements

I am deeply indebted to Kristina Boréus, Kevin Deegan-Krause and to the anonymous reviewers for their most constructive comments on earlier versions of this piece. Research support from The Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, SKR) is gratefully acknowledged. The translations from Romanian are the author's if not stated otherwise.

Notes

However, I acknowledge that masculinity (and femininity alike) can be performed – the ongoing project of constantly redefining and breaking the boundaries of identity – by both men and women. Thus researchers discuss masculinities performed by men, but also about “female masculinities,” or “masculinities without men” (see Butler; Halberstam; Noble).

Oana Pellea, daughter of the actor playing the eponymous character, eventually won the lawsuit against Becali for misuse of her father's image (“Gigi Becali a fost invins de Oana Pellea”).

DC was produced by TVR1 and aired live on 26 November 2004. The hosts were Monica Ghiurco, Corina Sechereş and Marian Voicu. DC registered a maximum rating of 13.7% and a share of 30.6% (according to a TVR1 audience report).

In the present text the term “progressive” is used, rather than Lakoff's original “liberal,” in order to indicate a departure from the conservative-liberal antagonist politics specific to the US, and stress the general validity of Lakoff's conceptual framework in European settings as well.