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 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.

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