Finding a Place within the Militia Movement: A Network and Content Analysis of Participant Relationships within Militia Themed message boards

• In Event: The Strategic Operations of Terrorists

Abstract

For as long as the militia movement has had an online presence, members and supporters have found ways to communicate with each other as individuals and in groups. Message boards and online forums continue to serve as prominent meeting places for individuals interested in the militia movement. Utilizing network analysis and content analysis, this project examines the interactions between users on militia themed message boards and forums in order to provide insight into how individual militia members and supporters connect with others in the movement. Social network analysis was used to explore the connections that develop between message board and forum users, the roles users play in the networks that develop within these discussions, and the level of influence users have within the networks they participate in. Employing content analysis to examine the messages posted by users provides further information about which issues were prominent in the discussions, how information was presented, and how users reacted to the comments posted by others.

Author

• Joseph DeLeeuw, Indiana University