Online Library

Welcome to VOX-Pol’s Online Library, a research and teaching resource, which collects in one place a large volume of publications related to various aspects of violent online political extremism.

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Type	Title	Year	Author	Links
Journal Article	Where do ‘mixed, unclear, and unstable’ ideologies come from? A data-driven answer centred on the incelosphere View Abstract Where do ‘mixed, unclear, and unstable’ ideologies come from? A data-driven answer centred on the incelosphere In Europe and North America, an increasing proportion of individuals who are referred to de-radicalization programmes, arrested for terrorism offences, or involved in politically motivated violence, present a ‘mixed, unclear, and unstable’ (MUU) ideological profile instead of holding a single, clear and coherent extremist belief system. Where do these composite and often inconsistent ideological constructs come from? This paper offers a direct attempt to conceptualize and empirically expose the sources and drivers of the MUU phenomenon, using an in-depth case-study tracing the emergence of MUU ideological constructs from the incelosphere. Based on a theoretical model that acknowledges the interplay of structural-, societal-, and individual-level drivers, we argue that the MUU phenomenon results from (sometimes strategic) individual uses of a specific technological affordance – outlinking – and that these fluctuate in response to significant external events such as the Covid-19 lockdown. Our findings enhance our understanding of recent cases of extremist violence and unlock new targeted avenues for CVE intervention. View Full Article	2024	Brace, L., Baele, S.J. and Ging, D.	View Publisher
VOX-Pol Blog	Jake Davison: An Incel Case? View Abstract Jake Davison: An Incel Case? VOX-Pol Blog Post. View Full Article	2023	Brace, L., and Baele, S.	View Publisher
Journal Article	The ‘tarrant effect’: what impact did far-right attacks have on the 8chan forum? View Abstract The ‘tarrant effect’: what impact did far-right attacks have on the 8chan forum? This paper analyses the impact of a series of mass shootings committed in 2018–2019 by right-wing extremists on 8chan/pol, a prominent far-right online forum. Using computational methods, it offers a detailed examination of how attacks trigger shifts in both forum activity and content. We find that while each shooting is discussed by forum participants, their respective impact varies considerably. We highlight, in particular, a ‘Tarrant effect’: the considerable effect Brenton Tarrant’s attack of two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, had on the forum. Considering the rise in far-right terrorism and the growing and diversifying online far-right ecosystem, such interactive offline-online effects warrant the attention of scholars and security professionals. View Full Article	2020	Baele, S.J., Brace, L. and Coan, T.G.	View Publisher
Journal Article	Uncovering the Far-Right Online Ecosystem: An Analytical Framework and Research Agenda View Abstract Uncovering the Far-Right Online Ecosystem: An Analytical Framework and Research Agenda Recent years have seen a substantial increase in far-right inspired attacks. In this context, the present article offers an analytical framework for the study of right-wing extremists’ multifaceted and fast-growing activity on the Internet. Specifically, we conceptualize the far-right online presence as a dynamic ecosystem, teasing out four major components that correspond to the different levels of analysis available to future research. We illustrate the benefits of this framework with key illustrative examples from the English-, French-, and German- speaking far-right, revealing the worrying size and breadth – but also heterogeneity – of today’s far-right online ecosystem. View Full Article	2020	Baele, S.J., Brace, L. and Coan, T.G.	View Publisher
Journal Article	Variations on a Theme? Comparing 4chan, 8kun, and Other chans’ Far-Right “/pol” Boards View Abstract Variations on a Theme? Comparing 4chan, 8kun, and Other chans’ Far-Right “/pol” Boards Online forums such as 4chan and 8chan have grown in notoriety following a number of high-profile attacks conducted in 2019 by right-wing extremists who used their “/pol” boards (dedicated to “politically incorrect” discussions). Despite growing academic interest in these online spaces, little is still known about them; in particular, their similarities and differences remain to be teased out, and their respective roles in fostering a certain farright subculture need to be specified. This article therefore directly compares the content and discussion pace of six different /pol boards of “chan” forums, including some that exist solely on the dark web. We find that while these boards constitute together a particular subculture, differences in terms of both rate of traffic and content demonstrate the fragmentation of this subculture. Specifically, we show that the different /pol boards can be grouped into a three-tiered architecture based upon both at once how popular they are and how extreme their content is. View Full Article	2021	Baele, S.J., Brace, L. and Coan, T.G.	View Publisher
VOX-Pol Blog	Mapping the Agenda for Incel Research: Over-trodden Paths vs. Unchartered Territories View Abstract Mapping the Agenda for Incel Research: Over-trodden Paths vs. Unchartered Territories VOX-Pol Blog Post. View Full Article	2023	Baele, S.J.	View Publisher

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