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“If you’re on this sub, you’re on every watchlist possible.” An open-source investigation into the gamification of terrorism on Reddit’s user-run forum r/unexpectedjihad

Gryz, Agnieszka Ewa LU (2023) STVK12 20231
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This study investigates the emerging phenomenon of gamification of terrorism, understood as the exploitation of video games mechanics and aesthetics to radicalize, proliferate propaganda and produce terror. Through an open-source ethnographic exploration of the “r/unexpectedjihad” community on Reddit, it attempts to answer how and to what extent violent jihadi sympathizers are gamifying terror in a digital setting. Data harvested from the subreddit underwent thematic analysis and was dissected for symptoms of gamification. Subsequently, two themes, Playfulness and Propaganda, were drawn, which allowed the researcher to decipher the means and methods used to disperse, ritualize, or even fetishize violence within the community. This thesis... (More)
This study investigates the emerging phenomenon of gamification of terrorism, understood as the exploitation of video games mechanics and aesthetics to radicalize, proliferate propaganda and produce terror. Through an open-source ethnographic exploration of the “r/unexpectedjihad” community on Reddit, it attempts to answer how and to what extent violent jihadi sympathizers are gamifying terror in a digital setting. Data harvested from the subreddit underwent thematic analysis and was dissected for symptoms of gamification. Subsequently, two themes, Playfulness and Propaganda, were drawn, which allowed the researcher to decipher the means and methods used to disperse, ritualize, or even fetishize violence within the community. This thesis argues that “r/unexpectedjihad” acted as a perpetual terror gamification machine where users shared gamified propaganda and interacted with it in gamified ways. At last, it extends the glossary of gamification by introducing a new piece of vocabulary describing the observed mechanisms of propagating terror. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Gryz, Agnieszka Ewa LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK12 20231
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Gamification, Terrorism, Extremism, Jihad, Reddit
language
English
id
9116547
date added to LUP
2023-09-07 17:04:26
date last changed
2024-01-29 14:49:21
@misc{9116547,
  abstract     = {{This study investigates the emerging phenomenon of gamification of terrorism, understood as the exploitation of video games mechanics and aesthetics to radicalize, proliferate propaganda and produce terror. Through an open-source ethnographic exploration of the “r/unexpectedjihad” community on Reddit, it attempts to answer how and to what extent violent jihadi sympathizers are gamifying terror in a digital setting. Data harvested from the subreddit underwent thematic analysis and was dissected for symptoms of gamification. Subsequently, two themes, Playfulness and Propaganda, were drawn, which allowed the researcher to decipher the means and methods used to disperse, ritualize, or even fetishize violence within the community. This thesis argues that “r/unexpectedjihad” acted as a perpetual terror gamification machine where users shared gamified propaganda and interacted with it in gamified ways. At last, it extends the glossary of gamification by introducing a new piece of vocabulary describing the observed mechanisms of propagating terror.}},
  author       = {{Gryz, Agnieszka Ewa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“If you’re on this sub, you’re on every watchlist possible.” An open-source investigation into the gamification of terrorism on Reddit’s user-run forum r/unexpectedjihad}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}