Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20901/an.19.09
Policy Entrepreneurs or Policy Crusaders? Political Actions of the Extremist Communities in the Context of the Multiple Streams Model
Matej Mikašinović-Komšo
orcid.org/0000-0003-0153-2837
; PhD Student, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The article analyzes and critically evaluates the politically extremist communities on the example of the /pol/ (Politically Incorrect) board from the internet forum 4chan, placing it within the multiple streams theoretical model with an emphasis on its potential nature as a policy entrepreneur. An explorative qualitative analysis of political goals, motivations and methods of action of the /pol/ community in the /pol/ posts is carried out, with the aim of determining its role in the problem, policy, and politics streams, as well as the methods through which they act inside each stream. Although the analysis points to similarity between the / pol/ community and policy entrepreneurs, in terms of prominent commitment and reputation, and the ability to change political awareness and public perception within the flow of problem and politics streams, the /pol/ community proves itself to be unable to cultivate ties with formal actors and propose ideas within the solution stream, meaning that it cannot be viewed as a policy entrepreneur. However, its specific political motivation, which aims to destroy the liberal democratic political system, makes the /pol/ community a different form of agent – a policy crusader, and in the broader conceptual context of the model, the poisoner of the primordial soup of public policy. This type of agent does not compromise, aggressively spreads its perception of problems, and forces its own values onto the public, which makes it potentially dangerous for the stability of the political system.
Keywords
multiple streams theory; 4chan; policy entrepreneur; political motivation; policy crusader; policy poisoner
Hrčak ID:
286680
URI
Publication date:
14.12.2022.
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