Publications — Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies

Media reporting on far-right extremism in Australia: Between strategic silence and harmful amplification

This report was produced as part of the project ‘The role of mainstream media in the mobilisation of radical political movements’ funded through the Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies (CRIS). This paper aims to identify key journalistic challenges and discussing practical factors that media professionals are encouraged to consider when making a decision about whether to report about far-right incidents and, if so, how.

Mario Peucker

Mainstream media use in far-right online ecosystems

Our research looked at the ways that far-right social media users use mainstream media outlets for their ideological messages. Researchers analysed over 55,000 social media posts from far-right users on Facebook and Gab, and found that all mainstream media outlets, regardless of their political leaning, can be co-opted for ideological messaging.

Mario Peucker, Thomas J. Fisher, Jacob Davey

The Far-Left and Far-Right in Australia - Equivalent Threats? Key findings and Policy Implications

This briefing paper is the fourth and final output in ‘Symbiotic Radicalisation’, a project in our ‘Dynamics of Violent Extremism’ research stream. Symbiotic Radicalisation is a collaboration between researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) and the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities at Victoria University (VU). This paper provides an overview of key trends identified throughout this research program, which examines the online interplay between the far-left and far-right in Australia (with a focus on the State of Victoria) and considers the policy implications of this work.

Reciprocal Dynamics Between Australia’s Political Fringes on Twitter

This paper is the third in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms. It provides an analysis of over 400,000 tweets produced by a sample of 151 far-left and 75 far-right Australian Twitter accounts since 2016.

This paper was updated in March 2022.

Cécile Simmons, Joshua Farrell-Molloy, Jacob Davey, Mario Peucker

A Snapshot of Far-Right Activity on Gab in Australia

This paper is the second in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms. It provides an analysis of over 45,000 posts by a network of 40 active Gab accounts between January and September 2020.

Cécile Guerin, Jacob Davey, Dr Mario Peucker and Thomas J. Fisher

The Interplay Between Australia’s Political Fringes on the Right and Left - Online Messaging on Facebook

This paper is the first in a series analysing the interplay between far-right and far-left groups in the state of Victoria, Australia, across a range of social media platforms.

Cécile Guerin, Jacob Davey, Mario Peucker and Thomas J. Fisher

Symbiotic Radicalisation: The Interplay Between Far-Right and Far-Left Activism on Victoria: Literature Review

Dr Mario Peucker