The impact of 'emotionology' on the rise of extremist right-wing movements
In the UK, the 1970s marked a troubling era as groups such as the National Front marched through the streets, attacking non-white communities, leading to a series of killings. This violence was not an isolated incident, but part of a longer pattern of extreme hostility towards non-white communities.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and the far-right continues to promote a narrative of a UK under attack, framing white people as facing an existential threat. This emotional context of fear, othering, and resentment is sustained through political, social, and activist strategies by the extreme right and certain mainstream actors.
One key strategy is framing Muslims as security threats and promoting Islamophobia. Since the 7/7 London bombings in 2005, British Muslims have been persistently criminalized and associated with terrorism, despite widespread condemnation of extremism within their communities. This has caused deep psychological and social scars in Muslim populations, fostering a climate of fear and suspicion.
Political rhetoric and dehumanizing language also play a significant role. The UK government’s so-called ‘hostile environment’ policies, launched in 2012, normalized a discourse that depicted migrants and Muslims as invaders and criminals. Politicians and media have regularly used terms like “illegal,” “invasion,” “swarm,” “hordes,” and “queue-jumpers” to stigmatize these groups, which directly correlates with rising hate violence and social hostility.
The narrative of a threatened British identity is exploited to galvanize hostility and justify xenophobic policies and violence. The 2024 racist and Islamophobic riots are a clear example of this, being described as a direct outcome of intensifying Islamophobia across the UK.
Social media platforms have also been used to spread disinformation about such events. After the 2024 riots, both extreme right networks and a range of "mainstream" voices spread misinformation about the origins and motives of the attackers.
It's important to note that many rioters were not active members of extreme right groups or highly ideological. However, they shared the extreme right's emotionology, its feelings of distrust of politicians, its fear of others, and its misguided idea that violence against such targets can protect a nation under threat.
The extreme right's methods in the UK involve institutionalizing Islamophobia and xenophobia through fear-based narratives, persistent stigmatization via dehumanizing language, and exploiting feelings of social and cultural threat to legitimize discrimination and violence over many years. This pattern is clearly illustrated by both the public discourse and the 2024 riots.
In response, the UK government has appointed a new body to monitor Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate, and Germany's Muslim community is in shock over the murder of an Algerian nurse. These actions are a step towards addressing the emotional context of fear and hostility that has long been cultivated by the extreme right in the UK.
References: 1. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2019/jun/29/far-right-groups-in-uk-are-growing-and-they-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert 2. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/aug/10/riots-in-uk-towns-spread-as-far-right-protests-turn-violent 3. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jul/06/muslims-britain-7-7-attacks-identity 4. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/sep/13/hostile-environment-policies-immigration 5. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/29/boris-johnson-islamophobia-row-muslim-women-letterboxes-comment 6. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/01/keir-starmer-island-of-strangers-speech-controversy 7. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/aug/15/far-right-accounts-still-targeting-uk-muslims-after-riots 8. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2018/aug/10/far-right-groups-in-uk-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert 9. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2019/aug/15/uk-far-right-groups-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert 10. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jul/06/muslims-britain-7-7-attacks-identity 11. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/sep/13/hostile-environment-policies-immigration 12. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/29/boris-johnson-islamophobia-row-muslim-women-letterboxes-comment 13. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/01/keir-starmer-island-of-strangers-speech-controversy 14. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/aug/15/far-right-accounts-still-targeting-uk-muslims-after-riots 15. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2018/aug/10/far-right-groups-in-uk-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert 16. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2019/aug/15/uk-far-right-groups-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert 17. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jul/06/muslims-britain-7-7-attacks-identity 18. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/sep/13/hostile-environment-policies-immigration 19. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2018/apr/29/boris-johnson-islamophobia-row-muslim-women-letterboxes-comment 20. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/01/keir-starmer-island-of-strangers-speech-controversy 21. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/aug/15/far-right-accounts-still-targeting-uk-muslims-after-riots 22. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2018/aug/10/far-right-groups-in-uk-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert 23. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2019/aug/15/uk-far-right-groups-are-getting-more-violent-says-expert
- In the modern era of social media, misinformation about events like the 2024 riots is swiftly spread, with both extremist and mainstream voices participating, often framing Muslims and immigrants as the perpetrators.
- Politics, entertainment, general news, and crime and justice are all arenas where the far-right's narrative of a threatened British identity is propagated, fostering a climate of fear and suspicion towards Muslims and immigrants.
