Passive radicalisation without mobilisation : A narrative analysis of collective identities and emotions as driving forces of online radicalisation

Sammanfattning: Scholars often consider ideology a crucial factor for radicalisation, but some groups appear radical even though they have been described as lacking clear ideologies. This thesis will explore why members of the incel community appear radical despite the community’s lack of a rigid ideology. I explore this through a narrative analysis focusing on collective identities and emotions as narrated and potential driving forces of radicalisation. My study has identified two narratives, the incel as inferior and the incel as superior. The analysis shows that radicalisation is more prominent in the second narrative. In the first narrative, the victimhood and hopelessness serve as a foundation for the expressions of violence found in the second one based on perceived injustices. My findings suggest that the narration of collective identities and emotional dimensions is crucial for the radicalisation of members of the incel community since collective identities create a sense of belonging to the community and guide actions based on “emotional batteries”.