The 2016 Presidential Election and the Militia Movement: How One Militia Used Social Media to Discuss the election.

• In Event: Lone Wolf Terrorism and Beyond

Abstract

During the past eight years, the continued growth of the militia movement has been attributed in part to the election of President Obama and the policies implemented during his presidency. As the 2016 presidential election progressed, militias, their members, and supporters came together using social media to discuss the election. This study examines how one militia used its social media presence to create an open forum to discuss the election, the candidates, and the issues of importance to the militia with its members and supporters.

Using content analysis, political content posted on the militia’s social media page and the resulting discussions are examined in order to provide insight into how participants view the election, candidates, and issues of importance during the campaign. Conjunctive analysis is utilized to examine how the presentation, theme, and origin of the content posted by the militia relate to the level of response from participants. The results of this study provide a unique look at how one militia, its members, and supporters experienced the 2016 presidential election.

Author

• Joseph DeLeeuw, Ohio Northern University