An unholy alliance: Christian identity extremists and ICTs

Abstract

The rise of extremism has been a global concern, but white extremism, in particular, has been expanding rapidly within the United States (U.S.). Even more concerning is how white extremist groups have utilized Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to broaden their reach and spread their ideologies to larger audiences. This research examines the Christian Identity Movement (CIM) subset within the larger white extremist community. The CIM has utilized Christianity to justify extremist actions, a problem notably reflected in recent white extremist shooter manifestos. As extremist propaganda continues making its way through the digital landscape, this study aims to understand how the CIM has infiltrated the greater white extremist digital communities. This is particularly relevant as extremist groups are proliferating across numerous social media platforms. Due to the lack of scholarly literature currently discussing the nexus between white extremists, Christian Identity, technology, and social media, this research is necessary to understand the information flow between these groups online.