The rise of the alt-right has been one of the more remarkable, and troubling, aspects of both the Trump election and the Brexit referendum.  It’s long been thought that the movement has been bolstered by the Internet, and the ability of exponents to communicate and collaborate virtually.

This hypothesis was put to the test in a recently published study from the University of Chicago, which examines the apparent transition of alt-right forums online from marginal presences to a collective identity that powered political movements.

The focal point of the study was the Red Pill discussion forum, which plumped strongly for Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election.  The forum is a hive of misogyny and antifeminism, and the study explores how this seeped into the 2016 campaign.

White dominance

Various cultural and institutional changes in recent years have given newfound prominence to women in society, whilst multiculturalism has rocked the white, male hegemony that has dominated for centuries.  Members of the alt-right actively resist such changes and want a return to what they perceive as the natural order of things.

The presence of anonymous online forums, such as Stormfront, have allowed this narrative to be amplified, with a community forming around men’s rights.  The subsequent politicization of these communities represents a shift in the way these people act out their ideology.

The researchers used social movement theory to explore how the moderators at Red Pill controlled the discourse and coerced political activism among the membership.  The forum evolved from a place to moan about the demasculization of society and advocate self-improvement strategies to challenge feminism and regain one’s alpha status, the forum shifted in 2016 towards a more politicized bent.

This transition was underpinned by a shift in attitude, with members subsequently convinced that they were able to influence politics in a way that they had previously not been able to.

Mobilizing disaffected men

In the run up to the 2016 election, the community rapidly became politicized, with the Trump candidacy seen as an opportunity to realign systemic factors towards white male power and privilege.

At this time, the moderators at Red Pill began to urge members to shift their mindset from one of individualized philosophy towards a political cause to get behind.  Hillary Clinton was positioned as a direct threat, with Trump’s masculine persona clearly aligned with the kind of values espoused on Red Pill of financial prosperity, sexual prowess, aggression and individual success.  Any dissenting voices were marginalized and eventually driven out of the community.

The example provided by Red Pill will hopefully go some way towards understanding both what has happened online in the run-up to the 2016 election, and the way things unfolded.  Whether it leads to more reasoned electioneering in future elections truly remains to be seen.