The Language of Lone Wolf Terrorists An in-depth study of the use of personal pronouns and identity terms in lone wolf terrorist manifestos

Abstract

This thesis examines the manifestos written by four lone wolf terrorists, Elliot Rodger, Dylann Roof, Christopher Harper-Mercer, and Patrick Crusius before they carried out mass killings in the United States. By conducting an analysis of these perpetrators’ use of the personal pronouns I, me, us, we, you, they, and them, this thesis looks at their presentation of themselves, their actions, and the perceived threats against which they are fighting. Additionally, an examination of the identity terms Black, Hispanic, White, Asian, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, woman, man, and immigrant will further investigate ideological perceptions of the different identity groupings among the lone wolves examined here and the far-right activists who inspired them. Many of the authors are driven by self-entitlement and a sense of white superiority, and their language serves to describe themselves as martyrs and present their victims as the real aggressors. Further, the use of online forums as a platform to spread their ideologies and communicate with others with similar mindsets will be investigated as it is an essential element in the radicalization of the perpetrators and a factor in their influencing of others. Key words: Lone wolf terrorists, manifesto, Critical Discourse Analysis, pronouns, identity terms, incel