The “Fascist” discourse in computer mediated communication: the “dual strategy” model of the Italian extreme right

The study is about the identity construction of Italian Extreme Right groups in different Computer
Mediated Communication (CMC) environments. Rhetoric Psychology and Critical Discourse Analysis joint approaches
are used to analyse two websites and two newsgroups of extreme right. The results confirm Billig’s hypothesis that
such groups play a dual communication strategy in Computer Mediated Communication, addressing in different
ways to the outgroup and the ingroup. This communication strategy has two different functions. In self-presentation
towards the outgroup, the emerging group identity fulfils the search for a wider social legitimation, consensus and
recruiting. In the ingroup communication, the emerging identity construction answers to the need for preservation of
group cohesion and positive self-image.