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The Alternative Right in a Global World a Study of the Mindset, Framing and Reach of the Alternative Right and Its Impact on the Socially Acceptable of Today

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The Alternative Right in a Global World a Study of the Mindset, Framing and Reach of the Alternative Right and Its Impact on the Socially Acceptable of Today The Alternative Right in a Global World A study of the mindset, framing and reach of the Alternative Right and its impact on the socially acceptable of today Carmen Mirea Robrahn, 57220 5th Semester Project Module 2 Number of Characters: 46.236 Supervisor: Silas Fehmerling Harrebye Roskilde University, December 2017 Abstract This assignment investigates the branch of Alternative Right operating in the United States, and their aim of ‘going mainstream’ by challenging the dominant perceptions of what is politically and socially correct. Besides a few additions, the investigation draws on the corresponding literature review of this mini-project. Although the Alt-Right is commonly defined as a digital network, inspiration will be drawn from the field of social movement studies, to clarify its communicative practices constituting its mindset, values and goals. The analysis will be conducted on account of various online documents collected from well-known Alt-Right websites. Furthermore, the examination will provide some insight to the unstable subculture of 4chan Politically Incorrect board, which has become known as an Alt-Right digital hub. The study concludes, that there is no prospect of the Alt-Right going mainstream at this moment, as their framing tactics are too disorganized – especially due to the dissimilarity of the networks. However, the expertise in digital communication amongst its younger adherents, combined with better structured framing techniques, and a continuation of global far-right tendencies can make the future of the international Alternative Right. Table of Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. From Literature Review to Mini Project ....................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. New Insights on the Online Alt-Right .................................................................................. 2 1.2. Research Question ........................................................................................................................ 3 2. Theory ............................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1. A Short Introduction of Discourse ................................................................................................ 4 2.2. The Overton Window of Political Possibilities ............................................................................. 4 3. Methodology and Strategy of Analysis ............................................................................................. 5 3.1. Terminology .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.2. Frame Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 6 3.2.1. The Transformation of Reality Through Framing ................................................................ 6 3.2.2. The Three Main Framing Tasks ............................................................................................ 7 3.2.3. The Four Frame Alignment Strategies .................................................................................. 7 3.3. Collection and Presentation of Documents ................................................................................... 8 3.3.1. Alternative Right Websites ................................................................................................... 8 3.3.2. Digital Hub: 4Chan /pol/ ........................................................................................................... 9 4. Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 10 4.1. The National Policy Institute ...................................................................................................... 10 4.1.1. The Detriment of Whites......................................................................................................... 10 4.1.2. Racial Intelligence .................................................................................................................. 11 4.2. The AltRight.com ....................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.2. Just for Fun? ............................................................................................................................ 15 4.3. The Underground Alt-Right ........................................................................................................ 15 5. Discussion ....................................................................................................................................... 16 6. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 17 7. Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 18 7.1. Published Work ........................................................................................................................... 18 7.2. Internet sources ........................................................................................................................... 19 1. Introduction 1.1. From Literature Review to Mini Project It has become apparent, that the Alternative Right is related to older and broader strings of ideas dealing with what society have been, is and should be. Yet, with distinctive messages of intolerance and hatred its supporters tend to stand out from the crowd. Although its conduct has been largely verbal, the Alt-Right’s participation in the violent clashes at the recent Charlottesville demonstrations illustrated how verbal commitment can turn into action. And it is actions such as these that makes the network visible for the common man or woman, whose paths are unlikely to cross with the digital online forums of the Alt-Right on a day to day basis. As noted in the literature review, many have raised their voices in surprise and disdain of the recent rise of the Alternative Right and far-right politics, asking themselves: what the hell happened…? Others, belonging to the mindset of the Alternative Right might think: that was about time! Presumably, the last stance perceives their behavior to possess a necessary logic, even morality, as can be said for any ideology and is expressed when Richard Spencer with words of determination and pride describes the Alternative Right: “We are often told, that being an American, or Britain or German, or any European nationality is about being dedicated to a collection of abstractions and buzzwords: democracy, freedom, tolerance, multiculturalism. But a nation based on freedom, is just another place to go shopping; it’s a country for everyone, and thus a country for no one. It’s a country of which we ourselves have become strangers. Man doesn’t live, and man doesn’t die for abstractions like freedom. Man lives or dies for a homeland; for a people and its future; for beauty. For the power of being part of something bigger than oneself. Who are we? We aren’t just white […]. We are part of the people’s history, spirit and civilization of Europe” (Richard Spencer, NPI 2017). John Daniszewski reasoned how one should not let the Alternative Right define itself, since doing so might hinder the clarity of their nature; a notion of which I strongly agree. One need not a magnifying glass to notice how the quotation above exudes allusions and meaning. This is a small and blunt fraction of text that illustrates a perception of unity across borders, on account of communion in a ‘white’ past. This makes the Alt-Right particularly interesting, leading the mind to what Damon T. Berry noted about white nationalism being an imagined racial global community 1 (Berry 2017:12, 14). It is then interesting to return to the origins of the literature review, namely the heated relationship between nationalists and globalists. As Haidt argued, globalist and liberal voices have contributed to counter-reactions amongst nationalists and consequently the support for far-right politics. This explanation embraces the tendencies of common nationalists, as it were. But the Alternative Right does not fall into this category, as emphasized in the literature review. I would argue that the results of these circumstances (e.g. the presidency of Donald Trump) have created a political atmosphere making it easier for the voices of the Alternative Right to be heard and taken seriously – regardless it being due to public support or furor. 1.1.1. New Insights on the Online Alt-Right The literature review provided insight to the ideological currents argued to have laid the foundation for the uprise of the Alternative Right, and it gave a slight impression of the mindset of the network. However, it merely scratched the surface of the Alt-Right, especially in regards of its digital conduct exerted by its younger supporters. Therefore, I wish to include some new insight on the matter, helpful in illuminating the Alt-Right, namely the work of Angela Nagle: “Kill All Normies: From 4chan and Tumblr to Trump and the Alt-Right” (2017). In retrospect, this work should have been included in the literature
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