In person icon Radicalization in Digital Gaming Spaces and Beyond

Abstract

Online radicalization in the context of violent right-wing extremism and Islamism has been a subject of intense debate in radicalization research for years. Empirical studies indicate that the internet primarily functions as a facilitator or catalyst in the radicalization process, rather than a direct causal factor. Research consistently demonstrates that online and offline radicalization processes are not separate but deeply interconnected. Radical online communities do not replace radical offline milieus, but rather serve as an additional layer of engagement and interaction for individuals involved in or susceptible to radicalization. However, the increasing digitalization of the past decade, which introduced new technologies and platforms such as live streaming or messenger-services, has given rise to novel forms of extremist online subcultures and communities. Many of these emerging subcultures and communities are characterized by the use of gaming-related content, spaces, and activities as well as a significant decoupling from real-world radical milieus and are discussed as a new form of digitally-mediated pathway for radicalization, exemplified by the terror attacks in Christchurch 2019 or Halle 2019. Researchers studying radicalization and political violence face significant challenges in understanding and contextualizing these new digital phenomena within existing theoretical frameworks. Despite increasing academic attention, there is a critical shortage of systematic empirical research examining the communication and interaction patterns within online communities as well as their potential influence on digitally-mediated radicalization processes. The proposed panel seeks to address this gap and presents original empirical research on radicalization processes taking place in new digital subcultures on Gaming platforms such as Mod DB and Gamebanana, on Telegram as well as on online forums of the Incel scene. The panel aims to further develop our empirical and theoretical understanding of these new forms of radicalization by bringing together diverse disciplinary, methodological, and theoretical perspectives. The following key questions will be addressed: • Which forms of communication and interaction constitute these online subcultures and how do elements of gaming come into play? How do platform specific technical features influence these forms of communication? • What type of ideological content and narratives are shared in these new digital spaces? • What are constituting elements of radical online subcultures and communities and which factors enable them to provide a social foundation for political violence? • What are push- and pull-factors of radicalization in the context of these new extremist online subcultures? Do extremist activities in digital gaming spaces offer new strategic opportunities and approaches? For instance, does gaming-related propaganda open lines of communication to new, potentially vulnerable groups, e.g. minors?

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