Mainstreaming as a meta-process

A systematic review and conceptual model of factors contributing to the mainstreaming of radical and extremist positions

Bibliographic Data

ID14995083
AuthorsSophia Rothut (0000-0003-0990-8034, Department of Media and Communication, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich , Munich, Germany), Heidi Schulze (0000-0003-0079-9169, Department of Media and Communication, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich , Munich, Germany), Diana Rieger (0000-0002-2417-0480, Department of Media and Communication, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich , Munich, Germany), Brigitte Naderer (0000-0002-7256-7941, Medical University of Vienna)
Year2024
Volume34
Issue2
Pages49-59
Publication date2024-04-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCommunication Theory (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1050-3293 • E-ISSN: 1468-2885
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/ct/qtae001
LanguageEN
Citations received32
References cited52

Over the past decade, extremists have increasingly aimed to integrate their ideologies into the center of society by changing the presentation of their narratives to appeal to a larger audience. This process is termed (strategic) mainstreaming. Although this phenomenon is not new, the factors that contribute to the mainstreaming of radical and extremist ideas have not been systematically summarized. To identify elements fostering mainstreaming dynamics, we conducted a systematic literature review of N = 143 studies. The results demonstrate that mainstreaming’s gradual and long-term nature makes it particularly difficult to operationalize, which is why it often remains a buzzword. In this article, we propose a novel conceptualization of mainstreaming, understanding it as two communicative steps (content positioning and susceptibility), and present 12 contributing factors. These factors can serve as starting points for future studies, helping to operationalize mainstreaming, empirically monitor it, and, subsequently, tackle its (long-term) effects