Strategic networking
The vision of the white supremacist movement as a network of small independent yet interlinked local groups spread out throughout the country is exactly the kind of structure that the web facilitates and helps create. Theorists call this phenomenon Netwar, and point out that the use of such a cell structure could be the possible solution for smaller groups trying to compete against larger institutionalized powers.
First coined in 1996 by John Arquilla and David Ronfeldt of the Rand Corporation, Netwar, is defined as the use a network of small dispersed groups or individuals that share a strong ideology, similar strategies, who communicate, coordinate and work together using an central form of communication, often without any central command. While they stress that there are other forms of communication that can be used, the Internet is the obvious choi
ce. The Internet gives such groups an upper hand. Arquilla and Ronfeldt predict that in the coming decades, these kinds of groups will gain power and prominence. They point to groups like the Anti-Racist Action, Earth Liberation Front, Battle of Seattle, International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Al Qaeda, and of course white supremacists.
The ARA is particularly interesting because they fight the white supremacist movement by taking on a similar network organizational structure of small autonomous individual groups united strongly through their use of the Internet.
White nationalists are very conscious of this strategy. Some leaders in the movement have been preaching long before the advent of the information highway. The “leaderless resistance” model, as it is known, argues for the same kind of network, which can be done using couriers for instance, instead of the Internet. The main proponent of using this model was former Klansman, turned Aryan Nation, writer Louis Beam (at left) in his eponymous 1992 essay.
Stormfront is an example of Netwar and leaderless resistance, and if these theorists are correct, it will further the success of their movement. It makes room for lone wolves, small groups and people like New York City racists, to participate even if they are geographically or otherwise alienated. It eliminates the weak link represented by a central leadership that has historically been targeted by the government and has proved vulnerable to internal disputes and struggles within the movement. The message board with its ability to disseminate information and connect people becomes the meeting place, operating manual, inspiration and in essence the leader itself. The Xerox machine made pamphletting easier, telephones aided outreach, but the Internet has changed the very nature of the organization itself.
Click here to read about the net effects.
Posted by Team B 4:10 PM
Labels: ARA, leaderless resistance, Louis Beam, netwar
