"Charting the increase in the use of games for the dissemination of extremist propaganda, radicalization, recruitment, and mobilization, this book examines the 'gamification of extremism.' Editors Linda Schlegel and Rachel Kowert bring together a range of insights from world-leading experts in the f
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ield to provide the first comprehensive overview of gaming and extremism. The potential nexus between gaming and extremism has become a key area of concern for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to prevent and counter radicalization and this book explores key trends and debates, future directions, and potential prevention efforts. This includes the exploration of how games and game adjacent spaces, such as Discord, Twitch, Steam, and DLive, are being leveraged by extremists for the purposes of radicalization, recruitment, and mobilization. Additionally, the book presents the latest counter-terrorism techniques and promising preventing / countering violent extremism (P/CVE) measures currently being utilized in the gaming sphere and explores the ongoing challenges, controversies, and current gaps in knowledge in the field. This text will be of interest to students and scholars of gaming and gaming culture, as well as an essential resource for practitioners working in prevention and counter-extremism, professionals working at gaming-related tech companies, and policymakers". (Publisher description)
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"Across the case studies we identified three broad categories for the classification of content, which will be unpacked in greater detail in the following section: 1. Instructional material which contains guidance on operational aspects of terrorist and violent extremist activity. This includes guid
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ance on the manufacture and perpetration of attacks, as well as guides on combat drills, fitness and non-violent activism such as sticker campaigning. 2. Ideological material which is designed to specifically further a violent extremist or terrorist world view. This includes key texts and lectures which provide the theoretical underpinning for a terrorist or violent extremist cause, and which provide explanation around why the world is a certain way. 3. Inspirational material designed to reinforce a violent extremist or terrorist mind-set. This includes a wide range of content which is designed to elicit a reaction or response in the radicalised mind. This includes material intended to provoke hatred towards a particular group of people or promote pride and support for a particular cause. Notably, this category of content is the least well-defined in the existing literature." (Page 7)
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