Investigating Patterns of Online Recruitment among Non-Violent Extremists in the UK (2016-2021). Surveying the Islamist, Far-right, Eco-radical and Anarchist milieux

• In Event: EXTR1 Online radicalisation, recruitment and mobilisation

Abstract

Online extremism has become one of the most pressing threats in the UK. Several violent episodes occurred over the last decade - mostly perpetrated by online self-radicalised individuals. Burgeoning (though typically underappreciated) in policy and terrorism study circles, these individuals usually start their path towards violent extremism by accessing material posted by non-violent extreme groups. Using Natural Language Processing and Topic Modelling, this paper examines the online posting behaviours across different two non-violent extreme groups across 4 extreme ideological milieux to identify common recruitment strategies and ideological appeals online in the UK between 2016 and 2021. This timespan was selected for two main reasons: 1) to examine the online behaviour of vocal extremist groups after the concept of “vocal extremism” was officially introduced by the Home Office in 2015, 2) to examine their posting behaviour in the (pre-/during/post) pandemic period, and 3) the so far neglected focus of Left-Wing, Anarchist and Single-Issue actors in terrorism and extremism studies (Farinelli & Marinone 2021).

Authors

• Elisa Orofino, Anglia Ruskin University

• William Allchorn, Anglia Ruskin University

• Mauro Lubrano, University of Bath