Is There a Language of Terrorists? A Comparative Manifesto Analysis

Previous research has shown that identity fusion can motivate violent self-sacrifice when the group is threatened. In this study we conducted an ethnographic content analysis of fifteen manifestos - expressing varied levels of extremism - to examine whether fusion and other relevant variables can be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inStudies in conflict and terrorism Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 601 - 628
Main Authors Ebner, Julia, Kavanagh, Chris, Whitehouse, Harvey
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Routledge 03.06.2025
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Summary:Previous research has shown that identity fusion can motivate violent self-sacrifice when the group is threatened. In this study we conducted an ethnographic content analysis of fifteen manifestos - expressing varied levels of extremism - to examine whether fusion and other relevant variables can be reliably identified and if the predictions of the fusion-plus-threat model are supported. Our findings indicate that linguistic proxies for identity fusion combined with mediating and moderating variables such as existential threat narratives, violence-condoning group norms and dehumanizing vocabulary, can be reliably identified and are more prevalent in the documents of would-be terrorists. This method may contribute to predicting the likelihood that individuals will engage in acts of violent extremism.
ISSN:1057-610X
1521-0731
DOI:10.1080/1057610X.2022.2109244