Panel 8D: Identity
Chair: Farangiz Atamuradova (Hedayah)
Information chaos: Influencer culture, disinformation, and the commodification of extremist ideologies Hirah Azhar (University of Southampton & Imperial War Museum)
Abstract: In October 2022, the pro-Islamic State media outlet, Bariqah News Agency, shared two Andrew Tate videos on Telegram, praising his conversion to Islam as well as his overt misogyny. The self-styled influencer’s bizarre crossover into the online jihadi information ecosystem is one of many examples - including Tradwives and incels - of the online convergence of extremism and influencer culture that has allowed extremists to mimic engagement-boosting influencer strategies to successfully commodify their ideologies. Disinformation has further muddied the waters, by giving extremists influential narratives to co-opt, while also creating the necessary environment for their malign influence campaigns to thrive in. The result is information chaos, where veracity has been overrun by virality, and algorithms inevitably prioritise entertainment over information. It is no longer possible to study extremist influence campaigns in isolation because social media users are now exposed to multiple influences that compete for their limited attention every time they go online. And those influences - driven by financial incentives - are inspiring changes in platforms themselves. Using examples from the Islamic State, the Taliban, and the war in Ukraine, this paper will argue that online extremist narratives need to be examined within the framework of this increasingly commodified, engagement-driven information ecosystem.
Blending In: Gender Passing in Pro-Islamic State Online Spaces Meili Criezis (American University)
Abstract: Although substantial research has examined women’s participation in violent extremism, it has not yet been analysed through the framework of gender passing. Within the context of extremist spaces online, the ability for women to pass as men has been used by individuals for personally practical and strategic advantages. Using the lens of sociological theory on gender passing, this chapter will explore its applicability to virtual pro-ISIS communities and how it shapes notions of agency, women’s engagement in extremism, and acts as an adaptative tactic. In short, this paper proposes the utility in expanding theory on gender passing to the domain of terrorism research as a framework with which to analyse certain types of extremist online behaviour and strategizing. It also presents a hypothesis on the set of conditions that might encourage such behaviour in hopes that such proposals open opportunities for empirical studies to either confirm, reject, or further expand upon. Despite the theory-focused aspect, the final section highlights applicable counterterrorism and policy measures that could be gained from this research direction.
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