What is it about?
This article examines how extremist leaders use language to incite violence, not simply through hateful messages, but by creating bonds, obligations, and a sense of duty among their followers. It reveals the linguistic techniques extremists use—such as metaphors, appeals to religious authority, kinship terms, and commands—to strengthen group loyalty and encourage harmful action.
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Why is it important?
Understanding how extremist incitement works at the level of language is essential for designing more effective counter-extremism strategies. This study shows that incitement is not just aggressive rhetoric—it's a relationship-building activity. Extremists strengthen ties within their group, amplify fear or hatred of others, and present violence as a logical or even caring response. By mapping these linguistic mechanisms, the research helps: predict how extremist messages gain traction, identify warning signs in harmful communication, and inform the creation of counter-narratives that weaken extremist influence. The findings also expand our understanding of how dangerous speech legitimises violence and intensifies identity fusion, offering new insights for policymakers, analysts, and practitioners in P/CVE.
Perspectives
For me, this work is about understanding the human side of radicalisation: how language shapes belonging, identity, and moral judgment. Extremist messages succeed not only because they contain hateful ideas, but because they tap into people’s need for connection, purpose, and recognition. By exposing how inciters build bonds and moral pressure into their messages, this research offers practical tools for P/CVE practitioners. It helps us develop counter-messages that rebuild trust, offer alternative identities, and disrupt the persuasive pull of extremist narratives. My goal is to support approaches that move beyond censorship or surveillance and instead focus on the communicative mechanisms that make extremism appealing. By understanding these mechanisms, we can design responses that genuinely reduce vulnerability, strengthen social cohesion, and prevent violence.
Dr Awni Etaywe
Charles Darwin University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Relational dynamics in violent extremist incitement communication: Language as bonds, obligations, and a catalyst for polarisation, Discourse & Communication, October 2025, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/17504813251378884.
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