Press F to Pay Respects An Empirical Exploration of the Mechanics of Gamification in Relation to the Christchurch Attack.pdf (2.57 MB)
“Press F to pay respects”: an empirical exploration of the mechanics of gamification in relation to the Christchurch attack
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-10, 03:46 authored by Suraj LakhaniSuraj Lakhani, Susann WiedlitzkaThere has been a long-standing yet largely unreported intersection between video-gaming and violent extremism, spanning across jihadist, far-right, and other types of ideologies. Within this framework, until late, scant attention has been paid to the concept of “gamification”; i.e. the application of gaming and game-design principles within non-gaming environments. This paper contributes to this newly emerging area of study by exploring the theoretical underpinnings of gamification and applying these principles to a prominent empirical example: the Christchurch attack in New Zealand in 2019. With a particular focus on the (“setup,” “rule,” and “progression”) “mechanics” of gamification, this article explores two aspects. The first considers how the assailant (intentionally or otherwise) designed and constructed the game; undertaken through an empirical analysis of their manifesto, live-stream video, and original post on the imageboard 8chan (or Infinite Chan). This will be complimented by the second aspect which explores how the game was, in turn, “gamified” through audience reaction to and interaction on the original 8chan post. The article concludes by discussing whether the gamification of the Christchurch attack serves as a framework for future attacks.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Terrorism and Political ViolenceISSN
0954-6553Publisher
Taylor & FrancisExternal DOI
Page range
1-18Department affiliated with
- Sociology and Criminology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2022-06-06First Open Access (FOA) Date
2022-06-06First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2022-06-06Usage metrics
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