Extremist Ideology Research Articles

Subcultural Hierarchy and Policing amongst Incels in Online Forums

While investigations into incels online have increased, most have focused on their potential for violence, their misogyny, extremist ideologies, and their mental health. Very little has been devoted to examining the nuances of that subcultural group. The research in this paper examines the hierarchy that has been established within the incel subculture, online, and how that hierarchy is policed using various mechanisms such as reporting “fakecels” to the moderators to have them banned and insults. Findings show that there are clear hierarchical delineations of incels in general, with “blackpill” incels being the most extreme in their worldview and their use of science (albeit cherry-picked) to justify the incel ideology. The researchers also found that there is a hierarchy specific to the online forum from which data were gathered. The paper concludes that understanding incel subculture is salient in addressing the potential threats of violence and treating those individuals who no longer want to identify as incels. Future directions of research would be to examine why boys and men identify as incels.

Modeling and Multi-objective Optimal Control of Thedynamics of Counterterrorism in the Sahel Region in Africa

Terrorist activity in the Sahel region has been on the increase for almost a decade. Groups advocating extremist ideologies with a political or religious base are carrying out attacks against states with the aim of imposing a totalitarian ideology, sometimes against a backdrop of political crisis and famine. In this state of crisis and sometimes communal conflict, it is questionable whether ideological terrorism can really be eradicated in the Sahel. In this study, we develop a model of the dynamics of ideological terrorism based on the terrorism situation in the Sahel. In particular, this model incorporates popular resistance to terrorism through the class of volunteers for the defense of the homeland, but we also take into account the indoctrination of certain sections of the population vulnerable to fanatical ideology. We estimate $\mathcal{R}_0$ , the number of elementary replications of extremist behavior, which enables us to predict the evolution of extremism. We also identify four thresholds $\mathcal{R}_1$, $\mathcal{R}_2$, $\mathcal{R}_3$ and $\mathcal{R}_4$ of sufficient conditions for the eradication of ideological terrorism and brigandage. A multi-objective optimal control of a counter-terrorism strategy is also presented. Finally, we perform a numerical simulation of the analysis and control results to test our hypotheses.

Strengthening Religious Tolerance with Islamic Views in the Era of Diversity in Indonesia

This qualitative study delves into the dynamics of religious tolerance within the diverse societal fabric of Indonesia, with a particular focus on Islamic perspectives. Through interviews with 10 informants representing various religious backgrounds, the research elucidates the role of Islam in fostering tolerance amidst religious diversity. Key themes emerge, highlighting Islamic teachings on tolerance, challenges to religious harmony, and strategies for promoting interfaith understanding. While Islam emphasizes principles of acceptance and coexistence, the study uncovers persistent challenges such as the politicization of religion and the influence of extremist ideologies. Nevertheless, the findings underscore the agency of individuals and communities in promoting religious tolerance through dialogue, education, and community engagement initiatives. Ultimately, the study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between Islam and religious tolerance in Indonesia, offering insights for fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect in diverse societies.

Artificial Intelligence in Social Media Forensics: A Comprehensive Survey and Analysis

Social media platforms have completely revolutionized human communication and social interactions. Their positive impacts are simply undeniable. What has also become undeniable is the prevalence of harmful antisocial behaviors on these platforms. Cyberbullying, misinformation, hate speech, radicalization, and extremist propaganda have caused significant harms to society and its most vulnerable populations. Thus, the social media forensics field was born to enable investigators and law enforcement agents to better investigate and prosecute these cybercrimes. This paper surveys the latest research works in the field to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are being utilized in social media forensics investigations. We examine how natural language processing can be used to identify extremist ideologies, detect online bullying, and analyze deceptive profiles. Additionally, we explore the literature on GNNs and how they are applied in social network modeling for forensic purposes. We conclude by discussing the key challenges in the field and suggest future research directions.

Power of the network and power from the network: Group processes and radicalization

The 3N model of radicalization posits that radicalization results from the confluence of the need for significance, the narrative, and the network. The network validates the narrative and rewards with significance those who adhere to it. Thus, it is critical to the radicalization process, leading scholars to suggest that no violent extremist truly acts alone. Similarly, understanding the role of the network is crucial to understanding and facilitating deradicalization, for one who is disillusioned with a violent extremist ideology may not leave their group if they lack an alternative group to replace it. This article discusses the power of the network in radicalization and deradicalization and proposes a novel theory of distinguishing between violent extremists who are more versus less influenced by their network, leading them to perpetrate violence in groups or on their own, respectively.

Innovative Technologies in Countering Extremism and Terrorism

Terrorism and extremism are distinct concepts often interconnected in discussions about political, religious, or ideological violence. Terrorism mentions to the use of vehemence, pressure, or force to attain party-political, spiritual, or conceptual areas, disrupting normal life and exerting pressure on governments or societies. Extremism, characterized by extreme political or religious views, often involves radical ideologies and intolerance towards opposing beliefs, often seeking dramatic changes in society or politics, rejecting moderation. Extremist ideologies can sometimes lead to terrorist acts, but not all extremists resort to violence. It's crucial to differentiate between extreme beliefs and violent actions, as not all terrorists are driven by extremism. Recommendations to safeguard against security threats are proposed.

The political divide: The case of expectations and preferences

The divergence of attitudes towards their ideological extremes has become an identifying feature in the United States. Little is known about its source, how large it is, whether information can attenuate it, and its causal impact on civic behavior. We design a survey experiment that identifies differences in beliefs rather than preferences as a source of division. We randomly introduce factual information about government spending and show that it corrects beliefs. We further use this variation and estimate effects on a suite of outcomes. For individuals who learn the government spends worse than they would prefer, they become 0.35 s.d. less supportive towards the government, believe the government is less efficient by 0.42 s.d.and are less willing to compromise and trust by 0.43 s.d. We do not find any changes for those who learn the government spends more in line with their preferences. This asymmetric response is consistent with a literature showing that negative information has a greater impact on attitudes and beliefs than positive information.

Practical Mechanisms for Implementing Measures to Combat Extremism

The article analyzes the practical mechanisms for implementing measures to combat extremism. In fact, extremism has become something of a “plague” in the modern realities of humanity. An indefinite number of people, society, the state, and the world community may suffer from extremist activities. The information and telecommunication network «Internet» contributes to the spread of extremist ideas. Today the World Wide Web is the main information and propaganda channel practically of all international and national extremist organizations and groups. Paying considerable attention to this challenge, the author gives a list of measures to prevent the spreading of extremist ideology in the information network. The analysis of the regulatory framework on the issues under study allowed the author to conclude that there is weak interaction between the bodies designed to carry out the prevention and fight against extremism. To change the negative trend, it is necessary further to improve the legislative framework of the state regulating the activities of competent organizations, its focus on ahead of possible illegal actions in this area. In the context of the multinational nature of the Russian state, there is also a need to intensify explanatory and propaganda work aimed at preventing extremism in the field of interethnic and interreligious relations. The education of the younger generation of traditional spiritual and moral values, raising the level of education of the population and civic culture, citizens’ welfare should also be considered as essential components of preventive work in the fight against extremism and its manifestations.

Особенности диагностики криминального поведения осужденных экстремистской направленности, отбывающих наказание в исправительных колониях

The article analyzes some organizational and methodological aspects of the diagnosis of criminal behavior of extremist convicts serving sentences in correctional colonies. The features of psychological diagnosis and impact on convicts, representatives of various extremist organizations, criminal tactics used to spread extremist ideology in places of detention are considered. Based on the conducted theoretical and pilot empirical research, theoretical and applied approaches are proposed for the application of psychological knowledge by penitentiary psychologists, employees of services and departments of the penitentiary system in professional activities in the implementation of its most important task — ensuring security in institutions of the penal correction system, defined by the Concept of its development for the period up to 2030 (approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 04/29/2021 No. 1138-R.).

Legal Expertise as a Tool of Countering Violent Extremism in the Web 2.0

The paper deals with the results of the study aimed to countermeasure violent extremism in Web 2.0. The paper focuses on the results of the research entitled “Russian Legal Concept of Media Security” and implemented within the framework of the “Priority-2030” Academic Strategic Leadership Program. The increased number of public crimes committed in the new media using telecommunications technologies makes the study relevant. The study is aimed to improve the understanding of current and future global media security challenges and to explain how to resist them based on legal expertise. Legal expertise is characterized as a tool that can contribute to raising the general level of legal culture and, in this regard, the authors highlight that availability of law and language knowledge is relevant in solving criminal law issues regarding implementation of basic rights and freedoms in the digital environment. The authors examine public relations in the field of education, family relations and youth policy related to those who share traditional morality and focus on countering a destructive ideological impact on children, adolescents, and the youth, carried out in order to neutralize inimical inculcation of spiritual values alien to Russian society. The authors scrutinized social networking, a combination of mini web pages, blogs and searchable communities, to detect signs of extremist propaganda shared via internet communication as a key challenge Russian society is facing nowadays. They elucidate the importance of undertaking effective measures to protect the population from harmful effect of destructive extremist ideology and its negative psychological impact. An interdisciplinary study of media security in the paradigm of criminal law sciences was conducted on the basis of legal expertise — a comprehensive criminalistic, criminology, forensic, psychological and linguistic approach to counteracting a destructive ideological impact on adolescents and neutralizing the mechanisms of implanting alien moral values. The authors have systematized threats to traditional Russian spiritual values and proposed to amend legislation and law enforcement practice to improve media security. Deep efforts should be made to encourage zero tolerance for extremist actions in the information sphere among people, to form their competence to ensure media security, including effective recourse to legal (or forensic) experts and authorized entities in case of violations of the law.

Re-Contextualizing Stage Politics: Interrogating Shakespeare’s Hamlet In Uruguay

For the spectator initiated in the political aspect of the Shakespearean theatre, Carlos Manuel Varela’s Interrogatorio en Elsinore proposes “a kind of extended palimpsest” of Hamlet that connects on stage a troubled, fictional Elsinore to the traumatic reality of Uruguay during the military junta. For the reader fascinated by comparative literary studies and implicated in the theatre world, Interrogatorio en Elsinore resonates with the Bulgarian playwright Nedjalko Iordanov’s the Murder of Gonzago by drawing from parallel extreme ideologies of neo-fascist and communist dictatorships and their institutionalized regime of terror. Both plays showcase the potential of the performance in Hamlet to underpin the role of the artist in the political landscape. Applied to Interrogatorio en Elsinore, such reflections lead the initiated spectator to conclude that Varela’s play proposes a Hamlet who connects on stage a troubled, fictional Elsinore to the traumatic reality of Uruguay.

Conspiracies Gone Wild: A Psychiatric Perspective on Conspiracy Theory Belief, Mental Illness, and the Potential for Lone Actor Ideological Violence

ABSTRACT Conspiracy theory belief (CTB) has been increasingly recognized as a driving force of extremist violence. This paper provides a psychiatric perspective on the phenomenon of CTB-driven violence in an effort to bridge the gap between psychiatry and terrorism studies. First, it makes a case for the growing relevance of CTB to ideologically-motivated violence and lone actor violence in particular. Next, acknowledging common themes of shadowy forces, clandestine plots, and malevolent motives, it argues that CTB can be reliably disentangled from delusional belief and examines the association between mental illness and terrorism with a critical and skeptical eye. Finally, after reviewing the association between CTB and terrorist radicalization within existing models from psychiatry and terrorism studies, it outlines five stages of ideological commitment to characterize the link between CTB and the perpetration of ideological violence. Rather than alternately “explaining” terrorism on the basis of mental illness or “blaming” it on ideological extremism depending on biased attributions, modeling ideological commitment through a normalizing cognitive and socio-epistemic framework can facilitate a less stigmatizing understanding of the link between CTB and ideologically-motivated violence.

CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTERING THE IDEOLOGY OF EXTREMISM IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Extremism is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon of a destructive nature that exists in almost all states. The natural nature of extremism is associated with the public reaction to processes affecting society. The complete eradication of extremism seems impossible, and therefore, at present, the most urgent thing is to prevent the large-scale spread of extremist behavior in society, which can create threats to the stable functioning of the state. The purpose of the presented research is to study current issues of countering the spread of the ideology of extremism in the Russian Federation, since it is the presence of an appropriate ideology that determines the dynamic development of this illegal phenomenon. The authors come to the conclusion that currently the ideology of extremism is being transformed under the conditions of a number of factors related to the foreign and domestic policies of the state. As the main directions of countering the spread of this ideology, not only preventive and preventive activities of a direct anti-extremist orientation are highlighted, but also the improvement of the ideological views of the population as a whole is of paramount importance. Attention is focused on the need to develop intolerance among the Russian population towards violent methods of conflict resolution and to demonstrate successful forms of self-realization of people within the legal framework.

The Role of Political Leadership in Countering Violent Extremism in Pakistan from 2001 to 2022

Pakistan has been facing internal security threats from extremism, terrorism, and militancy for several decades. These challenges have led to a struggle against different extremist groups, which has severely affected the country's internal security, stability, and progress. These profoundly entrenched phenomena have led individuals and groups to embrace extremist ideologies, undermining the nation's efforts toward stability and progress. The purpose of the study is to recognize the multifaceted nature of extremism and the hard and soft approaches by the government to counter the spread of extremist narratives and ideologies. This research explores the shift from a military approach to soft measures, including deradicalization programs, counter-narrative campaigns, educational reforms, and community-based initiatives. Through extensive secondary data collection and analysis, the impact of Pakistan's soft strategy on different target groups, such as youth, former militants, and vulnerable communities, was examined. The study revealed how drivers like political, social, and religious have been associated with violent extremism and how different extremist groups use these factors as a yardstick to get involved in violence. The analyses provide the basis for a common framework for resisting extremist ideology. It revealed that critical stakeholders, including religious leaders, civil society organizations, and educational institutions, are critical in promoting counter-narratives and fostering an environment of tolerance and moderation. By drawing insights from successful international practices and models, the study provided recommendations for strengthening Pakistan's strategy in countering extremism through community resilience, capacity building initiatives, and a comprehensive national action plan for a coordinated and sustainable approach.

Extremism as a form of legal nihilism

One of the global problems of the modern world is considered - the problem of extremism, which is the theory and practice of achieving socio­political, religious, national goals with the help of extreme, prohibited methods. From a political point of view, extremism is an ideology of protest against established social structures and institutions of power, which is designed for a wide public resonance and is accompanied by calls to undermine stability and violence. At the same time, extremism is a form of nihilism that denies universally recognized values and ideals, including law, demonstrates a tendency to extreme ideas and actions, fanaticism. Three components of legal nihilism are considered: worldview, psychological and behavioral. The strategy for implementing the provisions of the ideology of extremism is terrorism - an activity aimed at undermining social security, intimidation, and destabilization. The forms of manifestation of this phenomenon are political, economic, national, ecological and religious extremism. The causes of legal nihilism and extremism are identified, among which the most important are socio-political factors, namely: the weakening of state power and the passivity of its power structures; high corruption of officials; criminalization of society; assistance to extremists by representatives of foreign public organizations. The opinion that anomie is a stimulus to the deformation of legal consciousness and the formation of legal nihilism is substantiated. Forms and ways of spreading extremism are studied, including through the Internet. The personality of the extremist is characterized. It is argued that the danger of extremism lies not so much in the essence of views and the form of their expression, but in the goal that extremists seek to achieve, in the methods of achieving it, including aggression, violence, radical, often illegal actions. Public awareness of the danger of extremism, improvement of its legal culture, economic situation and efficiency of state power, together with the effectiveness of the legal system, will prevent the deformation of legal consciousness and the existence of this global problem.

County-level political group density, partisan polarization, and individual-level mortality among adults in the United States: A lagged multilevel study

ObjectiveTo investigate the associations between county-level political group density, partisan polarization, and individual-level mortality from all causes and from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States. MethodsUsing data from five survey waves (1998–2006) of the General Social Survey-National Death Index dataset and the County Presidential Election Return 2000 dataset, we fit weighted Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations between (1) political group density and (2) partisan polarization measured at the county level in 2000 (n = 313 counties) categorized into quartiles with individual-level mortality (n = 14,983 participants) from all causes and CHD, controlling for individual- and county-level factors. Maximum follow-up was from one year after the survey up until 2014. We conducted these analyses using two separate measures based on county-level vote share differences and party affiliation ideological extremes. ResultsIn the overall sample, we found no evidence of associations between county-level political group density and individual-level mortality from all causes. There was evidence of a 13% higher risk of dying from heart disease in the highest quartile of county-level polarization (hazards ratio, HR = 1.13; 95% CI = 0.74–1.71). We observed heterogeneity of effects based on individual-level political affiliation. Among those identifying as Democrats, residing in counties with high (vs. low) levels of polarization appeared to be protective against mortality, with an associated 18% lower risk of dying from all causes (HR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.71–0.94). This association was strongest in areas with the highest concentrations of Democrats. ConclusionsAmong all study participants, political group density and polarization at the county level in 2000 were not linked to individual-level mortality. At the same time, we found that Democratic party affiliation may be protective against the adverse effects of high polarization, particularly in counties with high concentrations of Democrats. Future research should further explore these associations to potentially identify new structural interventions to address political determinants of population health.

Hyperpartisan, Alternative, and Conspiracy Media Users: An Anti-Establishment Portrait

ABSTRACT While there is growing academic attention to readers of hyperpartisan, alternative, and conspiracy (HAC) media, our understanding of these sites has developed in separate bodies of work. We make a case for studying HAC media in unison, recognizing them as different information sources that share the same underlying anti-establishment sentiment. We do so by painting a detailed portrait of HAC media users, detailing 1) who consumes HAC media; 2) how they access it; and 3) how its consumption relates to public opinion. This is made possible by the unique combination of panel surveys taken before and after the first COVID-19 lockdowns in Germany and Switzerland, and webtracking data capturing participants’ actual online behavior. Our results show that those exposed to HAC media have a strong distrust of government and place themselves at the ideological extremes. While social media was a quintessential entry point for such media, most visits were registered by a small percentage of repeat visitors. Lastly, we show that those who consumed HAC media developed distinct opinions about the threat posed by COVID-19, mirroring the sentiments expressed in HAC media that the danger of the virus was exaggerated and that the real threat was to individual freedoms. With this case study, we showcase the theoretical utility of taking an integrated approach to HAC media, while providing nuanced insights into their audience.

Memes, humor, and the far right’s strategic mainstreaming

ABSTRACT The far right is increasingly relying on visual and less extreme online communication, for instance by using memes, to strategically mainstream their ideology. The use of humor in particular renders their communication more relatable to a mainstream audience. However, little is known about the actual impacts of the different content characteristics they employ to become more appealing, in particular on less moderated platforms that function as safe online spaces for extremist ideology and contents. To fill this gap, we conducted a manual quantitative content analysis of 1,200 memes distributed within German-language far-right Telegram channels in 2020 and 2021, concentrating on humor and several content-related factors to analyze their impact on meme reach. The results demonstrate that memes with extreme far-right narratives and memes with humor received fewer views than others, but that memes with both far-right narratives and humor had a significantly increased reach. The findings highlight the mainstreaming potential of humor, particularly when used to mask extreme content that would otherwise be less appealing.

Role of Educational Institutions And Teachers In Combating Radicalization

This article examines the complex and evolving role that educational institutions and teachers play in the ongoing global struggle against radicalization. As societies grapple with the multifaceted challenges posed by extremist ideologies, educators find themselves on the frontline, tasked not only imparting knowledge but also cultivating critical thinking skills and fosters inclusive environments. The research investigates the diverse responsibilities support by educational stakeholders, ranging from the identification of early signs of radicalization to the development of curriculum that promotes tolerance and diversity. The article scrutinizes the impact of technology and social media on the dissemination of extremist ideologs, emphasizing the urgent need for educators to equip students with digital literacy as well as digital hygiene skills to discern and counteract online radicalization. Additionally, it explores the delicate balance educators must strikes between of expression and the prevention of radicalization highlighting the ethical consideration involved in shaping classroom discussion. Furthermore, the study examines the educational institutions to address radicalization, emphasize the importance of collaborative efforts with governmental agencies, community leaders and parents. It advocates for the implementation of comprehensive teacher training programs that enhance educators can be devoted significantly to the prohibition and mitigation to the process of radicalization, thereby shaping a future generation equipped to navigate the complexities of a diverse and interconnected world.

Analyzing Radical Visuals at Scale

Research examining radical visual communication and its manifestation on the trending platform TikTok is limited. This paper presents a novel methodological framework for studying mobilization strategies of far-right groups on TikTok, employing a mixed-method approach that combines manual annotation, unsupervised image classification, and named-entity recognition to analyze the dynamics of radical visuals at scale. Differentiating between internal and external mobilization, we use popularity and engagement cues to investigate far-right mobilization efforts on TikTok within and outside their community. Our findings shed light on the effectiveness of unsupervised image classification when utilized within a broader mixed-method framework, as each observed far-right group employs unique platform characteristics. While Conspiracists flourish in terms of overall popularity and internal mobilization, nationalist and protest content succeeds by using a variety of persuasive visual content to attract and engage external audiences. The study contributes to existing literature by bridging the gap between visual political communication at scale and radicalization research. By offering insights into mobilization strategies of far-right groups, our study provides a foundation for policymakers, researchers, and online platforms to develop proactive measures to address the risks associated with the dissemination of extremist ideologies on social media. The study contributes to existing literature by bridging the gap between visual political communication at scale and radicalization research. By offering insights into mobilization strategies of far-right groups, our study provides a foundation for policymakers, researchers, and online platforms to develop proactive measures to address the risks associated with the dissemination of extremist ideologies on social media.