© Pete Linforth | Pixabay Just before his shooting spree at two Christchurch, New Zealand mosques, the alleged mass murderer posted a hate-filled manifesto on several file-sharing sites, and emailed the document to at least 30 people, including New Zealand’s prime minister. He also posted on several social media sites links to the manifesto and… Continue reading “Why the next terror manifesto could be even harder to track”
“There is no doubt in my mind that by far the most important and effective element of Channel is mentoring.” “The main reason I left the far right was because of my mentor’s guidance.” (Jack, former Prevent referral) Every year in the UK, Prevent helps hundreds of people leave extremist ideologies behind and walk a… Continue reading “Mentoring the radical right: talking to a Channel referral and his mentor”
In recent years radical right actors – which encompasses nativist, authoritarian and populist political movements; both in the global north and parts of the south – are never too far from the headlines. Whether it is the atrocities that took place in Christchurch in March or the hype surrounding Matteo Salvini’s recently announced grouping in… Continue reading “The Rise of the Radical Right: Reflections on the Role of Academics in Tracking Emerging Developments”
The intelligence work that is supposed to support law enforcement is being shuttered by an administration that finds bliss in ignorance. The Department of Homeland Security’s decision to disband its group of domestic terrorism intelligence analysts effectively ends the agency’s role in providing assessments of white nationalist threats to law enforcement. The elimination of a… Continue reading “White Nationalist Body Count Swells, and Trump’s Department of Homeland Security Retreats”
Those of us living in Britain today, whether we originally hail from these shores or not, are only too aware that we are living through a major historical moment. Those of us involved in analysing the radical rights are also very conscious of the fact that, whatever deal is (or isn’t) reached between Britain and… Continue reading “Nazi Analogies Won’t Help Counter Radical Right Agendas in Post-Brexit Britain”
Recently, Dr. Louie Dean Valencia-Garcia addressed the ethical challenge researchers face when purchasing extremist materials. In buying books from publishers, subscribing to podcasts, or paying for membership in web forums, researchers are indeed helping to fund these extremist projects. While that support may be small, Valencia-Garcia points out, its ethical implications must be reckoned with.… Continue reading “Examining ethical practicalities raised by Valencia-Garcia’s “The Ethics of Consuming Fascism””
To date, the notion of gateway organizations has in the most part been used to help explain processes of radicalization in relation to Islamic extremist Islam. Since September 11, 2001, the radical right has been on the rise in terms of popularity and reach across Western states. The 9/11 attacks, the subsequent war on terror… Continue reading “Gateway Organizations: Understanding the Lure of the Radical Right”
In a fascinating CARR Insights Blog last year, Cynthia Miller-Idriss and Daisy Gebbia-Richards argued that ‘love drives extremism’ because the close communities provided by extremist organisations meet activists’ need ‘for human connection, togetherness, belonging and love’. This was certainly true for fascists in interwar Romania, which is my area of expertise. Despite some periods of… Continue reading “Love in a Romanian Fascist Movement”
Last month, the Home Office published new data about Prevent. One part of the UK Government’s wider counter-terrorism strategy known as CONTEST, Prevent aims to safeguard all individuals from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. As well as appearing to be a direct response to concerns expressed about Prevent’s effectiveness and transparency, the new data also… Continue reading “How might the state’s response to radical right extremism challenge criticisms attributed to the Prevent strategy?”
*This is an excerpt from an essay originally published by CNN Style on January 10, 2019. The full essay can be read here. The enduring image of the racist skinhead, with his signature shaved head, black combat boots and bomber jacket, has all but disappeared. In its place is a fragmented set of mainstream styles… Continue reading “Selling Extremism: Nationalist Streetwear and the Rise of the Far Right”