This research presents a large-scale, data-driven exploration of left-wing extremism, focusing on the tankie community, which supports authoritarian socialist regimes. Collecting over 1.3 million posts from 53,000 users, the study identifies the community's ideological positioning within the broader far-left spectrum. Results indicate that tankies engage primarily in state-level political discussions instead of social issues, illustrating distinctive conversational patterns and content focus. The analysis also highlights conceptual misalignments, thereby enriching understanding of leftist extremism and community dynamics on social media platforms, traditionally dominated by studies on right-wing extremism.
The study reveals that tankies are on the periphery of the broader far-left community on Reddit, highlighting their distinct ideological positions and interests.
This research marks a significant departure from traditional studies on extremism, shifting the focus from right-wing to left-wing extremism and examining the complex community dynamics.
By analyzing the content of 1.3M posts from 53K authors, the research illuminates how tankies engage more with state-level political events rather than social issues.
The findings provide insights into misalignments within leftist ideological subgroups, challenging perceptions and expanding discussions surrounding the evolution of extremist ideologies online.
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