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A Report on the Role of Media, Far-Right Politics and Gender in Extremist Violence and Social Cohesion in Victoria

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A Report on the Role of Media, Far-Right Politics and Gender in Extremist Violence and Social Cohesion in Victoria Mediating Extremist Violence: A Report on the Role of Media, Far-Right Politics and Gender in Extremist Violence and Social Cohesion in Victoria Professor Jeffrey Lewis Dr Belinda Lewis Dr Robin Cameron Dr Philip Pond Dr Sahar Ghumkhor Mr Hussein Mohamud Centre for Global Research RMIT University Mediating Extremist Violence: A Report on the Role of Media, Far-Right Politics and Gender in Extremist Violence and Social Cohesion in Victoria — Final Report 2017 Report presented by the Human Security and Disasters Research Program, RMIT University Authors: Professor Jeffrey Lewis Dr Belinda Lewis Dr Robin Cameron Dr Philip Pond Dr Sahar Ghumkhor Mr Hussein Mohamud © 2017 The Authors 1 This research report was granted funds through the State of Victoria’s Round 1 Social Cohesion Research Grants Program administered through the Community Resilience Unit of the Department of Premier and Cabinet in order to assist understanding these complex issues. The research report does not constitute Victorian Government policy. The content of this publication is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the views of the State of Victoria. This publication is copyright. It may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publishers for non- commercial educational and research purposes. Other uses may occur in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968, including copies made for criticism, review and news reporting. Otherwise, no part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publishers. The authors of this publication assert their rights under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………………..4 1. Introduction-Abstract 2. Background to the Problem 1. Global Geopolitics and Domestic Insecurity 2. Media 3. Violent Extremism and Spiralling Antagonisms 4. Defining the Far-Right in Australia 5. Gender 6. The Problem 3. Research Questions 4. Methods 5. Conclusions 6. Further Considerations FULL REPORT………………………………………………………………………….22 2 SECTION ONE: BACKGROUND TO RESEARCH………………………… 22 1. Research Questions 2. The Social and Cultural Context of Research 1. Global Geopolitics 2. Domestic Insecurity 3. Broader Effects of Global Geopolitical Conditions 4. Far-Right and Anti-Diversity Violent Extremism 3. The Problem 1. Spiralling Antagonisms 2. The Role of Media 3. The Limitations of Other Approaches to a Media-based Research 4. Violent Extremism and Gender 1. The Australian Government’s Definition of Violent Extremism 2. Academic Definitions of Violent Extremism 3. Gender and Violent Extremism-Cultural Dimensions SECTION TWO: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND METHODS……33 1. Methodology 1. Conceptual Framework 2. Case Studies 3. Empirical Methods SECTION THREE: FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS OF EMPIRICAL DATA…42 1. Findings 1. The Coburg Riots 2. Hanson on Q&A SECTION FOUR: CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS…..49 1. Conclusions 2. Further Considerations 3 SECTION FIVE: REFERENCES…………………………………………………….60 SECTION SIX: APPENDICES……………………………………………………….76 1. Appendix One—Case Study: Facebook Analysis: The Far-Right, Far-Left and Violent Media Events 2. Appendix Two—Case Study: Twitter Analysis: Pauline Hanson on Q&A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 Introduction In seeking to strengthen social cohesion and community resilience in Victoria, the State Government is investing in research and programs which enhance well-being and security, and which ameliorate conditions that contribute to the attraction or participation in extremist violence and anti-social behaviours. To support these objectives, the Government’s Social Cohesion and Community Resilience Ministerial Taskforce commissioned the Human Security and Disasters Research Program at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology to examine those conditions that could lead to the attraction to or participation in violent extremism. This research examined these conditions in relation to media, gender, and particular organisations which contribute to polarisation, exclusivism and violent extremism in Victoria. The research applied a theoretical and multi-method approach to examine the ways in which these organisations use broadcast and online media systems to pursue their political and cultural objectives. Far-right, anti-diversity organisations emerged as a significant contributor to the social conditions and spiral of antagonisms which are threatening social cohesion in Victoria. It was significant that these organisations express their ‘experience’ and ‘perspectives’ of social cohesion through online and broadcast media systems as they seek to influence broader public opinion and government policy. 2.0 Background to the Problem 4 2.1 Global Geopolitics and Domestic Insecurity Australia is often characterized as a successful migrant, multicultural society (Hassan and Martin, 2015; Markus, 2015, 2016). Global geo-political conditions linked to the Middle East are placing increasing strain on social cohesion in Australia and in Victoria specifically (Essential, 2016; Grossman et al, 2016; IPSOS, 2016; also Koehler 2016). As we examined in this study, this strain on social cohesion is not simply a matter of actual threat—it is an effect of the ways in which Australian governments, media, social groups and citizens perceive, respond to, and experience these threats to security. 2.2 Media Significantly, the vast majority of Australians have no direct experience of the physical harm that militant groups like IS perpetrate. However, the experiences and perception of risk are largely formed through the citizens’ engagement with online and broadcast media systems (Lewis, 2005, 2008, 2011; Lewis and Lewis, 2014). The ‘information’ that media presents as ‘discourse’, however is not a precise and truthful re-presentation of reality. Rather, the information that is carried and formed through media is filtered through complex human psychological, emotional and cultural processes. Thus, media discourses form various truths, untruths, narratives, sensibilities, images and imaginings of the world. The interaction between online and broadcast media systems adds further complexity, creating an ‘echo chamber’ in which discourses can be amplified as they are broadly disseminated. Nevertheless, as a primary cultural and communication tool in modern societies, media are critical to the functioning of deliberative and participative democracy—and hence to the successful functioning of society itself, culture and social cohesion. 5 2.3 Violent Extremism and Spiralling Antagonisms Broadcast and online media systems provide significant communicative and cultural space for the expression of citizens’ experience and perceptions of threat (Lewis, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2016; Cameron, 2014; Stevens and Vaughan- Williams, 2016). As an expressive space, therefore, media enable citizens to contribute to polemical discussions which manifest as antagonism. While these antagonisms may be constrained within the zone of deliberative and participative democracy, they may lead to more extreme antagonisms which manifest in the extremes of hate, exclusivism and violence. Fortified through the current conditions of geopolitical insecurity and risk, these extreme antagonisms are motivating various groups and their political and cultural objectives. Many of these groups pursue these objectives through actual violence and militant strategies. Such groups include religious militants and members of the far-left and far-right. This research case studies focused on the far-right, and the expression of its anti-diversity, anti-Muslim perspectives in online and broadcast media systems. The case studies examined the far-right in relation to the pro-diversity far-left, and those social groups it seeks to exclude (Muslims). The research paid particular attention to the issue of gender as a significant dimension of the far- right, anti-diversity demeanour, media strategy and cultural-political objectives. 2.4 Defining the Far-Right in Australia There have been numerous attempts to define the far-right, along with their economic, cultural and political ideology and objectives (Lewis, 2013; Lazaridis et al, 2016; Kontig, et al; 2016; Loehler, 2016, Frank, 2016; Dean et al, 2016). Different far-right groups hold varying views on sexual diversity, economic protectionism, Christianity, ethnicity, migration and democracy (see Appendix One). A number of commentators refer to the far-right, anti-diversity groups as the New Far-Right (NFR) because of its strong hostility to pluralism and ‘non- western’ cultures (Polakow-Suransky, 2017). We discuss this approach in Appendix One. 6 This research project, however, identified several common characteristics and beliefs. These include the following— • A nostalgic, ultra-nationalism in which Australia is imagined as heroic, virtuous and unified. ‘True Australians’ are characterised by shared values and cultural characteristics a form of social cohesion—which is threatened by dangerous and resistant outsiders; • A stereotyping and deep antipathy toward Islam, Muslims and Muslim cultures; • A belief that all migrant groups, if they are to be admitted at all, should shed their old cultural practices and beliefs, and become assimilated into a unitary Australian culture; • A strong sense of ‘heroic masculinity’ which subscribes to traditional, (especially heterosexual) models of gender distinction (Kontig et al, 2016). This heroic
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