Fascist Aspirants : Fascist Forge and Ideological Learning in the Extreme Right Online Milieu

Lee, Benjamin and Knott, Kim (2022) Fascist Aspirants : Fascist Forge and Ideological Learning in the Extreme Right Online Milieu. Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 14 (3). pp. 216-240.

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Abstract

Learning in extremist settings is often treated as operational, with little regard to how aspiring participants in extremist settings engage with complex and abstract ideological material. This paper examines learning in the context of the amorphous network of digital channels that compose the extreme-right online milieu. Through an in-depth qualitative analysis, we explore how well the prevailing model of extremist ideological learning (in ‘communities of practice’) accounts for the behaviour of aspiring participants of Fascist Forge, a now-defunct extreme-right web forum. The findings suggest that some of the social aspects of communities of practice have been replicated in the online setting of Fascist Forge. However, for a combination of technical and ideological reasons, the more directed and nurturing aspects of learning have not. Several issues are raised about the role of ideological learning in online communities, notably the open accessibility of extremist material, the lack of ideological control leading to potential mutation and innovation by self-learners, and the role of digital learning in the preparation, shaping and recruitment of individuals for real world organising and activism.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression
Additional Information:
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Behavioral Science of Terrorism and Political Aggression on 08/01/2021, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/19434472.2020.1850842
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3300
Subjects:
?? extremismlearningideologyextreme-rightcommunities of practicefascist forgesocial sciences(all)sociology and political sciencesocial psychologypolitical science and international relations ??
ID Code:
148937
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
10 Nov 2020 16:50
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
25 Mar 2024 00:36