USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

First Advisor

Dawn Cecil, Ph.D.

Publisher

University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2022

Date Issued

December 2022

Abstract

This thesis investigates the relationship between online white supremacist discourse and the January 6, 2021, Capitol Insurrection by examining user behavior on Stormfront.org, one of the oldest and most influential white nationalist forums on the internet. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzed posts from Stormfront’s “Politics and Continuing Crises” and “Lounge” boards during periods before and after the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Drawing on threat assessment literature, the research evaluated the presence of warning behaviors, including leakage, fixation, and identification, while also assessing user interactions, self-presentation, and major discussion themes. Quantitative findings revealed that political discussion boards contained significantly higher levels of warning behaviors than nonpolitical boards, and that instances of leakage, or indirect threats of violence, increased significantly during the period surrounding the election and Capitol Insurrection. Qualitative analysis found that users frequently discussed conspiracy theories involving election fraud, “White genocide,” and a purported “Zionist Occupied Government,” while reinforcing extremist beliefs through supportive online community interactions. Many users expressed social isolation, viewed Stormfront as a substitute community, and discussed preparations for future conflict, including stockpiling weapons and supporting political infiltration strategies. Although users often denied responsibility for the Capitol attack and attributed it to opposing groups, their rhetoric closely mirrored themes present among insurrection participants. The study highlights the role of extremist online communities in fostering radicalization, reinforcing ideological worldviews, and exhibiting warning behaviors that may signal future acts of political violence, emphasizing the importance of monitoring online extremist spaces and addressing social isolation as part of prevention efforts. [blackardgr...g-blackard | PDF]

Comments

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the University Honors Program University of South Florida, St. Petersburg December 2, 2022.

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