TY  - JOUR
T1  - FROM DIGITAL RESENTMENT TO RADICALIZATION:GAMERGATE AS A GATEWAY TO THE ALT-RIGHT
TT  - DİJİTAL HOŞNUTSUZLUKTAN RADİKALLEŞMEYE: GAMERGATE’İN ALT-RIGHT’A AÇILAN BİR GEÇİT OLARAK ROLÜ
AU  - Atar, Mert Can
PY  - 2025
DA  - November
Y2  - 2025
DO  - 10.20875/makusobed.1679380
JF  - Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Social Sciences Institute
JO  - MAKU SOBED
PB  - Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University
WT  - DergiPark
SN  - 1309-1387
SP  - 35
EP  - 51
IS  - 42
LA  - en
AB  - This study analyzes the role of the GamerGate controversy in the digital evolution of alt-right discourse. Originating from gaming culture, the movement evolved into a radical subculture driven by opposition to woke values and political correctness. The alt-right framed these progressive discourses as elitist, exclusionary, and authoritarian, portraying themselves as culturally displaced. GamerGate facilitated digital radicalization by mobilizing disaffected white, male, and heteronormative users and weaponizing cultural grievances. A qualitative, theoretically grounded, and conceptually informed approach is adopted. The findings show that GamerGate impacted not only gaming culture but also the broader digital public sphere and political communication strategies. Tactics such as trolling, doxxing, and harassment became normalized, contributing to the rise of far-right’s digital mobilization. Ultimately, GamerGate should be viewed as a critical precursor to platform-driven ideological polarization, marking an early stage in the formation of today’s digitally mediated political landscape.
KW  - GamerGate
KW  - far-right
KW  - alt-right
KW  - digital radicalization
KW  - woke discourse.
N2  - Bu çalışma, GamerGate olayının alt-right dijital söyleminin gelişimindeki rolünü analiz etmektedir. Oyun kültüründen doğan bu hareketin, zamanla “woke” ve politik doğruculuk söylemlerine karşı gelişen tepkiyle nasıl radikal bir dijital alt-kültür inşa ettiğini incelemektedir. GamerGate, sosyal adalet girişimlerini elitist ve dışlayıcı olarak çerçeveleyen bir ideolojik refleks geliştirmiş; özellikle beyaz, erkek ve heteronormatif kimlikleri tehdit altında hisseden bireylerin dijital radikalleşmesini hızlandırmıştır. Çalışma, niteliksel, kuramsal ve kavramsal analiz yöntemleriyle yürütülmüştür. Bulgular, GamerGate’in sadece oyun alanını değil, dijital kamusal alanı ve politik iletişim pratiklerini de dönüştürdüğünü göstermektedir. Hareket, trolleme, doxxing ve çevrimiçi taciz gibi taktikleri meşrulaştırmış, aşırı sağcı alt-kültürlerin dijital mobilizasyonuna zemin hazırlamıştır. Sonuç olarak GamerGate, platform merkezli kutuplaşmanın erken evresinde belirleyici bir dönüm noktası olarak değerlendirilmektedir.
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UR  - https://doi.org/10.20875/makusobed.1679380
L1  - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4787310
ER  -