Far-Right Polarization, Algorithmic Radicalization, and Urban Civil Unrest: Evaluating the Structural Trajectory of Communal Tensions in the United Kingdom

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 16, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 109–117

DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160806

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Far-Right Polarization, Algorithmic Radicalization, and Urban Civil Unrest: Evaluating the Structural Trajectory of Communal Tensions in the United Kingdom

Names of Authors: Claire M. Dubois¹, Siddharth K. Nair²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of War Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; ²School of Global Studies, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract:
This study investigates the rapid escalation of localized far-right mobilization and urban civil unrest across the United Kingdom, focusing on how synthetic media campaigns and computational propaganda fueled structural polarization. Utilizing a mixed-methods framework combining digital network forensics with focus group field insights from affected metropolitan boroughs, we examine the systemic failure of state de-escalation initiatives. The digital evidence reveals that automated, micro-targeted alternative narratives engineered to exploit anti-immigration sentiments disproportionately saturate local information ecosystems during moments of civil distress. Statistical correlation modeling establishes that a 25% increase in localized online exposure to verifiably false, AI-generated social media content precedes spikes in urban street violence by a predictable 24-hour window (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). The study highlights how traditional community policing frameworks are systematically overwhelmed by flash-mob mobilization architectures. We conclude that mitigating communal polarization within post-industrial urban centers requires transitioning away from purely reactive public-order policing toward legally binding algorithmic transparency requirements and long-term economic investments in marginalized municipal spaces.

Keywords: Far-Right Polarization; United Kingdom; Algorithmic Radicalization; Urban Unrest; Computational Propaganda; Community Policing

Manuscript Timeline: Received: October 18, 2024; Revised: January 12, 2025; Accepted: April 22, 2025; Published: August 30, 2026

Citation: Dubois, C. M., & Nair, S. K. (2026). Far-Right Polarization, Algorithmic Radicalization, and Urban Civil Unrest: Evaluating the Structural Trajectory of Communal Tensions in the United Kingdom. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 16(8), 109–117. DOI: 10.46882/2026/GJPCS/160806

Subscribe to read the full article: https://internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read