The current research considers the notion that right-wing extremism is a potential continuation of Rapaport’s (2004) fourth ‘religious’ wave of terrorism. By exploring the role of religious...Show moreThe current research considers the notion that right-wing extremism is a potential continuation of Rapaport’s (2004) fourth ‘religious’ wave of terrorism. By exploring the role of religious anthropoemic populism and the intuitive motivations of the moral foundations theory, a thematic analysis is conducted on the manifesto of the 2019 Christchurch shooter. The results illustrate that religion may play a minor role in Tarrant’s justifications for violence, but that authority and purity are his primary drivers. This study, therefore, contributes to the argument that the far-right extremist trend signifies the emergence of a new distinct fifth wave of terrorism.Show less
