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 Dynamics of Violent Extremism

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Our Work

We generate strong empirical insights into the mobilisation tactics of politically radical and extremist groups in Victoria. We further assess the likelihood that they will use violence to pursue their political goals.

We explicitly reject any claims of equivalences between the ideologies or actions of the far-right and the radical left. Instead, we seek to understand how they interact online and offline, and in doing so, examine how central the opposition to the “other side” is to their self-definition.

We recognise that far-right and radical left ideologies and movements are radically opposed in values and goals, and cannot be considered as equivalents at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum.

 

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 Our Projects

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Symbiotic Radicalisation: The interplay between the radical political activism on the left and right fringes in Australia

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The Role of Mainstream Media in the Mobilisation of Radical Political Movements

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MAPPING INTERVENTION CAPACITY IN PREVENTING AND COUNTERING RIGHT WING EXTREMISM IN VICTORIA

 

 Publications

Reports
Media reporting on far-right extremism in Australia: Between strategic silence and harmful amplification
Research Report
Media reporting on far-right extremism in Australia: Between strategic silence and harmful amplification
Research Report

This report was produced as part of the project ‘The role of mainstream media in the mobilisation of radical political movements’ funded through the Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies (CRIS). This paper aims to identify key journalistic challenges and discussing practical factors that media professionals are encouraged to consider when making a decision about whether to report about far-right incidents and, if so, how.

Mario Peucker

Research Report
Mainstream media use in far-right online ecosystems
Research Report
Mainstream media use in far-right online ecosystems
Research Report

Our research looked at the ways that far-right social media users use mainstream media outlets for their ideological messages. Researchers analysed over 55,000 social media posts from far-right users on Facebook and Gab, and found that all mainstream media outlets, regardless of their political leaning, can be co-opted for ideological messaging.

Mario Peucker, Thomas J. Fisher, Jacob Davey

Research Report
The Far-Left and Far-Right in Australia - Equivalent Threats? Key findings and Policy Implications
Research Report, Research Summary
The Far-Left and Far-Right in Australia - Equivalent Threats? Key findings and Policy Implications
Research Report, Research Summary

This briefing paper is the fourth and final output in ‘Symbiotic Radicalisation’, a project in our ‘Dynamics of Violent Extremism’ research stream. Symbiotic Radicalisation is a collaboration between researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities at Victoria University (VU). This paper provides an overview of key trends identified throughout this research program, which examines the online interplay between the far-left and far-right in Australia (with a focus on the State of Victoria) and considers the policy implications of this work.

Research Report, Research Summary
Reciprocal Dynamics Between Australia’s Political Fringes on Twitter
Research Report
Reciprocal Dynamics Between Australia’s Political Fringes on Twitter
Research Report

This paper is the third in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms. It provides an analysis of over 400,000 tweets produced by a sample of 151 far-left and 75 far-right Australian Twitter accounts since 2016.

This paper was updated in March 2022.

Cécile Simmons, Joshua Farrell-Molloy, Jacob Davey, Mario Peucker

Research Report
A Snapshot of Far-Right Activity on Gab in Australia
Research Report
A Snapshot of Far-Right Activity on Gab in Australia
Research Report

This paper is the second in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms. It provides an analysis of over 45,000 posts by a network of 40 active Gab accounts between January and September 2020.

Cécile Guerin, Jacob Davey, Dr Mario Peucker and Thomas J. Fisher

Research Report
The Interplay Between Australia’s Political Fringes on the Right and Left - Online Messaging on Facebook
Research Report
The Interplay Between Australia’s Political Fringes on the Right and Left - Online Messaging on Facebook
Research Report

This paper is the first in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms.

Cécile Guerin, Jacob Davey, Mario Peucker and Thomas J. Fisher

Research Report
Symbiotic Radicalisation: The Interplay Between Far-Right and Far-Left Activism on Victoria: Literature Review
Stocktake Report
Symbiotic Radicalisation: The Interplay Between Far-Right and Far-Left Activism on Victoria: Literature Review
Stocktake Report

Dr Mario Peucker

Stocktake Report
Videos
CRIS Conference, Webinar
Local Government's Role in Strengthening Community
CRIS Conference, Webinar

CRIS Conference 5-7 October 2021 | Online

Dr Mario Peucker, Victoria University
Cristina Del Frate, Yarra City Council
Session Chair: Mark Duckworth PSM, Deakin University

This session discusses practical learnings from a recently concluded research study on far-right dynamics in three Victorian municipalities, paying particular attention to community-specific factors that can influence community resilience to far-right narratives and increase, or decrease, the chances of community-driven counter-mobilisation.

Focusing in particular on the role of local government and civil society, the workshop will explore how structural factors, such as urban planning and segregation, interact with community and identity-related issues, such as local pride, belonging and social cohesion, and in doing so influence local resilience to harmful political mobilisation and social division. Moreover, the workshop will shed light on how local government can manage local conflicts and dissent, and enhance its preparedness and responses to divisive social and political dynamics in their municipality.

CRIS Conference, Webinar
Webinar
More than 'smash a fash': empirical insights into the radical left in Australia
Webinar

30th September 2021 | Online

Dr Mario Peucker (Victoria University)
Dr Julian Droogan (Macquarie University)
Sarah Holmes (Macquarie University)

This webinar presents an overview of several current research studies on the far-left with a focus on their antifascist actions in Australia. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and social media analysis, it discusses this topic from three interconnected thematic angles: first, the radical left groups’ offline responses to the rise of the far-right in the second half of 2010s (especially in Victoria); second, the online mobilisation of Australian-based Antifa groups; and third, the offline messaging of far-left groups through public postering and graffiti, especially in Sydney.

Webinar
CRIS Take-Away
Understanding the political fringes. We talk to Dr Mario Peucker
CRIS Take-Away

Dr Mario Peucker explains political fringes.

CRIS Take-Away
Blog
Gates, Fauci and the NWO: inside Australia’s far-right silos
Gates, Fauci and the NWO: inside Australia’s far-right silos

Misinformation has found a home with conspiracy theorists, some exploiting political divisions and others convinced of its truth.

Read More →
Suppressing dissent and ignoring grievances increases risk of far-right radicalisation
Suppressing dissent and ignoring grievances increases risk of far-right radicalisation

Dr Mario Peucker, Lead Researcher of CRIS's Dynamics of Violent Extremism Research Team, discusses the risks of failing to engage with political dissenters and their grievances.

Read More →
Radical-Right Recruitment : A Proposal to Enhance Conceptual Clarity
CRIS Commentary
Radical-Right Recruitment : A Proposal to Enhance Conceptual Clarity
CRIS Commentary

This a two-part series, Senior Fellow Dr Mario Peucker discusses the nature of radical-right recruitment.

Read More →
CRIS Commentary
How the Left and the Right Radicalize Each Other
How the Left and the Right Radicalize Each Other

Jacob Davey and Dr Mario Peucker tell us that by recognizing reciprocal radicalization between far-left and far-right movements, we can begin to build toolkits to limit potential escalation.

Read More →
Alternative epistemologies of the radical right: How grand narratives and the quest for truth offer recognition and a sense of belonging
Alternative epistemologies of the radical right: How grand narratives and the quest for truth offer recognition and a sense of belonging

Dr Mario Peucker discusses how the alternative epistemologies of the radical right often serve a deeper psychological purpose for the individual in this piece originally published by the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right.

Read More →
Seizing the opportunity: how the Australian far-right milieu uses the pandemic to push its nationalist and anti-globalist grand narratives.
CRIS Commentary
Seizing the opportunity: how the Australian far-right milieu uses the pandemic to push its nationalist and anti-globalist grand narratives.
CRIS Commentary

The pandemic crisis has dominated our conversations over the past few months, and many of us have taken their views and concerns to their preferred online social media platforms. Unsurprisingly, people who hold more radical or extreme political views have done the same.

Read More →
CRIS Commentary

 

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Dynamics of Violent Extremism Team

We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with other organisations and partners - get in touch by emailing CRIS. You can also sign up to our newsletter to get the latest research updates from us.

 

Jacob Davey
Stream Lead
Institute of Strategic Dialogue

Dr Mario Peucker
Stream Lead
Victoria University

Dr Muhammad Iqbal
Member
Victoria University

Professor Debra Smith
Member
Victoria University

Professor Ramon Spaaij
Member
Victoria University

Thomas J Fisher
Associate Member
Victoria University