Unveiling global terrorism and extremism discourses among social media users: a critical discourse study

This study examines global terrorism and extremism discourses among social media users using a critical discourse analysis (CDA) framework. The purpose is to investigate how terrorism is framed and discussed across different cultural and geopolitical contexts by social media users. The research analyzes social media content from multiple platforms and regions. The focus is on how individuals propagate, resist, or contest extremist ideologies. Findings reveal that while extremist narratives are prevalent, counter-narratives by users offer significant resistance, with discourses varying based on regional and cultural factors. This study is original in its focus on user-driven content and its comparative, global approach. It thereby fills a gap in the literature that has predominantly focused on Western contexts.