The Universal Language of Hatred: The Unlikely Union of Islamic and Right-Wing Extremism
Open Access
- Author:
- Motyka, Cassandra
- Area of Honors:
- Security and Risk Analysis
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- William Parquette, Thesis Supervisor
Donald Richard Shemanski, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- terrorism
right-wing extremism
Islamic extremism
similarities - Abstract:
- In recent years, the Western world has come to terms with the sobering reality that terrorism is an indubitable threat. Beneath the cover of internet anonymity, lurking in the shadows of small towns, right-wing extremism has flourished. Some describe right-wing extremism as the “new wave” of terrorism and are quick to dismiss and forget the unremitting Islamic extremist threat. However, this disassociation is unjustified and unfounded. Islamic and right-wing extremism are inextricably interconnected, with their similarities vastly outweighing their differences. This thesis investigates those remarkable similarities in an attempt to dismantle the misguided mentality that places these sects into separate spheres. Islamic and right-wing extremism share significant aspects of ideology, radicalization/recruitment, and attack tactics and strategies. These similarities also explain and inspire real-world collaboration and intersection. This phenomenon includes cases of Islamic and right-wing extremists conspiring together and instances of individuals subscribing to both ideologies. Above all, this thesis concludes that Islamic and right-wing extremism represent two sides of a singular threat borne of hatred and fear. These sects share the same core beliefs and reaffirm that warped ideology in an isolated, delusional community until lashing out in a violent rage. Ultimately, segregating Islamic and right-wing extremism into separate “issues” is detrimental to effective counterterrorism. Recognizing these similarities and synthesizing the separate but comprehensive research on both can provide a unified and robust solution to combatting their violent extremism.