Language as a Catalyst for Polarisation and Hate Crimes

The March 2025 “Christchurch 2.0” online threat against Muslim Australians underscores the urgent need to examine the role of language in inciting hatred and radical actions and shaping public perceptions.

This seminar exposes law enforcement to tactics used by far-right extremists to radicalise society, particularly through the manipulation of religious identity to incite intergroup fear and mistrust—tactics that are especially relevant in the context of recent ‘fake terrorism plots,’ ‘fabricated attacks,’ and the defacement of places of worship.

It provides insights for academics, policymakers, human rights advocates, and legal experts on how extremist discourse enables hate crimes, with implications for legal frameworks, social cohesion, and community resilience. Focusing on the Great Replacement manifesto published by the Australian Christchurch shooter before the 2019 mosque attacks in New Zealand, the seminar employs forensic discourse analysis (e.g., Reisigl & Wodak, 2001; Etaywe, 2024, 2025; Etaywe & Zappavigna, 2024) to examine how far-right rhetoric dehumanises targets, fosters identity polarisation, and legitimises violence.

Key themes also include the manifesto’s embedding of conspiracy theories, its framing of immigrants and minorities as existential threats, and its strategic use of historical and religious narratives to polarise society and justify violence. Situating the manifesto within broader sociopolitical contexts, this analysis highlights how hate speech intersects with identity politics and digital propaganda, fuelling radicalisation and social fragmentation.

The seminar underscores the urgent need for policy interventions and educational initiatives to counteract dangerous speech and promote inclusive discourse, equipping stakeholders with linguistic tools to combat the proliferation of hate and violence in an increasingly polarised world.

Presenter

Dr Awni Etaywe is a linguistics lecturer at Charles Darwin University and a leading expert in forensic linguistics, specialising in terrorism, threatening communications, and incitement to hatred and violence. 

His insights have informed public media, academic debate, and the design of social media platforms (e.g. Confinity Inc.). His work appears in Discourse & Society, Language in Society, the Routledge International Handbook of Online Deviance, Line of Defence (New Zealand’s Defence and National Security Magazine), and Australian Quarterly, and has been featured on ABC and RNZ. 

He is currently leading a national Home Affairs project applying forensic linguistics to counter violent extremism.

You can register the event:

In-person (limited seating): In person by RSVP

Online: Zoom Webinar registration