Terrorism and right-wing extremism: the changing face of terrorism and political violence in the 21st century: the virtual community of hatred

Int J Group Psychother. 2015 Apr;65(2):242-71. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2015.65.2.242.

Abstract

There are no psychological characteristics or psychopathology that separates terrorists from the general population. Rather it is group dynamics, with a particular emphasis on collective identity that helps explain terrorist psychology. Just as there is a diverse spectrum of terrorisms, so too is there a spectrum of terrorist psychologies. Four waves of terrorism can be distinguished: the Anarchist wave, associated with labor violence in the United States in the late 19th century; the Anti-Colonial wave (nationalist-separatist), with minority groups seeking to be liberated from their colonial masters or from the majority in their country; the New Left wave (social revolutionary); and now the Religious wave. With the communications revolution, a new phenomenon is emerging which may presage a fifth wave: lone wolf terrorists who through the Internet are radicalized and feel they belong to the virtual community of hatred. A typology of lone wolf terrorism is proposed.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Hate*
  • History, 19th Century
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Humans
  • Loneliness / psychology*
  • Politics*
  • Religion and Psychology*
  • Terrorism* / classification
  • Terrorism* / history
  • Terrorism* / psychology
  • United States
  • Violence* / history
  • Violence* / psychology