Metapolitics, Algorithms and Violence

Routledge Studies in Fascism and the Far Right

by Ico Maly

Metapolitics, Algorithms and Violence argues that we need a more finegrained approach to understand contemporary far-right violence – an approach that takes language and cultural production in a digital economy seriously. This book underlines the importance of socio-political, economic, historical and technological context in understanding the rise of the new right. More concretely, based on a digital ethnographic approach, it argues that we should understand this violence and the contemporary rise of new far-right practices and actors in relation to the theoretical renewal of ‘La Nouvelle Droite’ in the 20th century; the ‘democratization’ of new right metapolitics in the 21st century as a result of the rise of digital media; and the development of a layered, transnational and polycentric new right cultural niche in which far-right activists and terrorists produce identity, discourse, digital cultures and practices. This work will be an engaging and necessary read for researchers interested in social media, digital culture, far-right politics, extremism and terrorism.

344 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2023

About the author

Ico Maly is professor Digital media, culture & politics @ Tilburg University (The Netherlands) and the editor-in-chief of Diggit Magazine (www.diggitmagazine.com). He is a senior fellow of CARR and teaches Digital Media & Politics, Social groups in the Digital World and The hybrid media system and online writing.

In January 2018 his two latest books - Nieuw Rechts (New Right) and De Hedendaagse anti-Verlichting werepublished. Before that, he wrote several non-fiction books including Superdiversiteit in Oostende (Kif Kif, 2014), N-VA | Analyse van een politieke ideologie (N-VA | Analysis of a political ideology) (EPO, 2012) and De Beschavingsmachine Wij en de islam. (The Civilization Machine. We and the Islam) (EPO, 2009). Together with Jan Blommaert and Joachim Ben Yakoub he wrote Superdiversiteit en democratie (Superdiversity & Democracy) (EPO, 2014). He also edited the award winning work Cultu(u)rENpolitiek. Over media, globalisering en culturele identiteiten. (Culture and Politics. About media, globalization and cultural identities.) (Garant, 2007).