Alt-right discourse and ideology in Australia and its threat to democracy

Responding to growing concern about online hate speech and violent acts committed by extremists inspired by alt-right ideas, this project seeks to map the online spread of alt-right discourse in Australia and analyse the transnational influences, ideology, strategies and public influence of the groups that promote such discourse. The project aims to establish a new footing for understanding recent developments in online extremism, to engage policy makers and professionals working in the field, and, through its public-facing outcomes, add a new dimension to public debate on the impact of the internet on civil society.

The social and cultural benefits of the project include an expanded knowledge of alt-right ideology and the threat its poses to democratic norms and processes. A particular point of national benefit will be increased understanding of the transnational correspondences between extremist groups, which will add to knowledge of the global forces driving homegrown groups. Further national benefit will flow from dissemination of the research findings among the national and international research community through its national and international conference presentations and publications, and its public-facing outputs, which are intended to establish a strong national and international profile for the project.