The New Right 2.0: Participatory Culture and the Politics of the Extreme Right

Abstract

This thesis explores how the online ecosystem of right-wing extremist subcultures appropriates and instrumentalizes mainstream and fringe cultural artefacts to further a loosely defined radical political agenda. Building on o set of complementary and interdisciplinary theories, I will conceptualize this movement as the New Right 2.0, defined by participatory culture and software interoperability. This conceptualization will be then supported by archival data from far-right websites and publications along with synchronously collected data from two different subcultures of the same extremist ecosystem, the image boards 4chan and 8kun (8chan), and the cluster of far-right Telegram channels known as Terrorgram. The analysis suggests that specific patterns occur in the creation and use of both image and non-image-based memes as well as the discussions around them. The results provide insights into the heterogeneity and volatility as well as some of the main operational logics of the New Right 2.0 as these elements play an increasingly significant role in the circulation of far-right propaganda. They will also stress the potential importance for both researchers and intelligence agencies in using case-specific knowledge to counter domestic terrorism, radicalization, and interference in any democratic process. The ultimate aim of this thesis is to contribute to scholarly discussions on the role social media has in the production of extremist content, its circulation, and how this can contribute to the radicalization of some.