Pulling Back the Curtain: an Examination of the English
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PULLING BACK THE CURTAIN: AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGLISH DEFENCE LEAGUE AND THEIR USE OF FACEBOOK Teddy Wayne Reynolds A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2015 Full metadata for this item is available in Research@StAndrews:FullText at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/6927 This item is protected by original copyright This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence Pulling Back the Curtain: An Examination of the English Defence League and Their Use of Facebook Teddy Wayne Reynolds This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 16 September, 2013 Pulling Back the Curtain: An Examination of the English Defence League and Their Use of Facebook Submitted by: Teddy Wayne Reynolds Declarations 1. Candidate’s declarations: I, Teddy Wayne Reynolds, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 80,000 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a research student in September 2009 and as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in May 2010; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 2009 and 2013. ______________ ____________________________ Date Teddy Wayne Reynolds 2. Supervisor’s declaration: I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. _____________ ____________________________ Date Dr. Roger MacGinty 3. Permission for electronic publication: In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and the abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker, that my thesis will be electronically accessible for personal or research use unless exempt by award of an embargo as requested below, and that the library has the right to migrate my thesis into new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to the thesis. I have obtained any third-party copyright permissions that may be required in order to allow such access and migration, or have requested the appropriate embargo below. The following is an agreed request by candidate and supervisor regarding the electronic publication of this thesis: Access to printed copy and electronic publication of thesis through the University of St Andrews. ______________ _____________________ _____________________ Date Teddy Wayne Reynolds Dr. Roger MacGinty Abstract As social media becomes an integral part of our daily lives, and groups seek to utilize this medium to facilitate activism, understanding the nature of these communications and the impact of the content on the individual user becomes a valid area of interest. When one then considers that extremist and terrorist groups have found social media to be an inexpensive and effective means for communication, radicalization, recruitment and member mobilization, the need for this understanding becomes critical. This research seeks to provide just such an understanding in its examination of Far-Right English Defence League and their use of Facebook during a period of increased activism and online growth. Important elements of this work include an understanding of the legal and ethical issues surrounding the collection of online content, particularly in extremist environments; the role of traditional media in their coverage of the group and whether the comments of the members reflect the group’s mission statement of the characterization of traditional media; the ability to enhance data segregation and analysis through the development and use of specialized software; and most importantly the findings from the data analysis. Contained within these findings is an understanding of the intricacies of online participation in extremist social media. These include insights into overall traffic generation, the use of links within communications and their impact on the member traffic, and how the group narrative put forth by the administrator is reflected in the dialogue of the users. The most important finding was an understanding of individual user participation within the group and how, even with such an inexpensive and pervasive media outlet, activist groups still struggle to overcome the problem of participation. That this knowledge can be applied in a meaningful way in counter extremist and counterterrorism efforts was an interesting and satisfying development. iv Acknowledgements The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without the support of family, friends, mentors, and colleagues. To simply say thank you is insufficient and it is with humility that I acknowledge those who made this effort possible and more rewarding than I could have imagined. First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Roger MacGinty, who took on in me a very hard case and stuck with me during this journey into unfamiliar territory. Even when the path became obscured, your unwavering commitment to me and my research goals kept me moving ever forward. Your encouragement, guidance, and support for my vision throughout this process made this adventure more enjoyable and I will be forever grateful. Essential to the progress of this work was the late Professor Paul Wilkinson. He felt this research was important and when permission was needed from law enforcement to move forward with data collection, and this process was at a standstill, Professor Wilkinson facilitated a meeting in London that led to the acquisition of an authorization letter from ACPO’s Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit. It was an honor to know him and it can easily be said that this research might not have been possible without his assistance at such a critical time. I have been very fortunate to have many treasured mentors during my academic endeavors. First, I am blessed to have as a former professor, colleague and good friend Stephen Sloan, who encouraged me to apply to St. Andrews and continues to be an inspiration to me and his students wherever he and they are. I am thankful for David Houghton, Pedro Pequeno and Luis Valdes, who all encouraged me to continue with my educational pursuits and to consider a career in academia. To these, and many others, who saw in me more than I saw in myself at the time, thank you for believing in me and helping me see my potential. Many thanks also to the ladies from CSTPV, Julie Middleton and Gillian Duncan, and to the GP squad, Jessica Gagnon, Jocey Figueroa, and Lauren Adair, for your friendship and encouragement. Most importantly to my wonderful wife Patti, children Alexandra and Jarrod, brother Tim, parents Al and Evelyn Reynolds, and my in-laws Lavon and the late Paul O’Steen, thank you for your love and unconditional support over these many years and for sharing my dream. Without all of you this never would have been possible. And an extra thanks to Patti for keeping me alive during my data marathons, when food and sleep seemed superfluous….thanks babe, I love you. v Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ v Table of Contents ......................................................................................................... vii List of Tables .............................................................................................................. xiv List of Figures ............................................................................................................. xvi List of Images ............................................................................................................ xvii Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. xix Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Approach to the Investigation .............................................................................. 7 Presentation of Chapters ...................................................................................... 8 The Research Question(s) .................................................................................. 14 Chapter One: A Review of Literature Associated with the English Defence League, Online Extremism, and the Impact of Social Media .................................................... 20 The EDL as Extremists ...................................................................................... 21 The EDL Mission ........................................................................................... 21 The External Perception of the EDL .............................................................. 24 Defining the EDL ..........................................................................................