An in depth analysis of cyberconflict : a case study of British Muslims and the #NotInMyName movement

Abstract

This research concerns the #NotInMyName movement which was first initiated by a group of British Muslims in the United Kingdom in September 2014 to retaliate against extremist groups and to tackle online radicalisation. This thesis examines, first, the role of religion in the socio-political and ethnoreligious dimensions of #NotInMyName and, second, the influence of digital media on the said movement including the uses of ICT and social media within the group of British Muslims. This research employs the cyberconflict framework (2006), which is an analytical model that synthesises approaches to social movement theory, media theory and conflict theory, and calls for the framework to be extended to account more effectively for the role of religion in social movements that involve forms of ethno-religious conflict. The research uses a qualitative single case-study design and employs mixed method techniques of data collection ranging from semi-structured interviews, Twitter data (tweets) and news articles to public documentation on movement activists and organisations‟ websites. The research findings contribute to and expand debates on British Muslims‟ participation in socio-political movements. The research findings found that religion (with an empirical focus on Islam) plays important yet various roles. First, religion helped shape the socio-political and ethnoreligious characteristics of the #NotInMyName movement and, second, religion has informed the uses of digital media among British Muslim actors in the said movement.