Highlighting a breadth of American individuals and groups that engaged in extremist behavior across history, this book provides a succinct, concise overview of extremist behavior in the past and examines today's increasingly common incidences of hate and extremism. Since the election of Barack Obama in 2008, extremist and hate groups have seen a resurgence on the American political landscape. Members of these subgroups within the American population have become concerned that the America that they have always known is fading into oblivion, with a majority of individuals in these groups holding fiercely anti-immigration views and adhering to the belief that the United States should not admit large numbers of any group that is not white, Christian, or predominantly European. Others believe that the principles and precepts of the U.S. Constitution have gone by the wayside and that drastic measures are required to protect the underlying tenets that were the essential elements of the Constitution and many of "their" nation's founding principles. How did these individuals come to feel this way, is it possible to bring these impassioned extremists back into the fold, and if so, how? This book provides comprehensive, illuminating, and sometimes disturbing insights into the individuals, groups, and events that have illustrated "extremist" behavior in post-World War II America. Ranging from the anti-communist rhetoric and activities of the John Birch Society, to the radical socialist ideals of the Black Panthers, to the goals of a "pure" America articulated by white nationalists, this book documents the various extremist elements that shaped the second half of the 20th century as well as the first two decades of the 21st century. Readers will grasp how events in the histories of individuals and groups as well as perceived injustices have lead to the incidences of hate and extremism in American society. The encyclopedic entries of the book are specifically written to accessible to readers without specific knowledge of extremism, political science, or sociology.

This expansive collection of A-Z entries offers a compelling look into hate groups in America. Focusing on organizations in operation today, this resource book for student and general audiences covers numerous hot-button issues in politics and culture. The Southern Poverty Law Center lists nearly 900 hate groups active in the United States today. Some of these, such as the KKK, have deep roots in American history. Others are newer, formed in response to policies and shifts in our cultural landscape. Often these organizations imply defense of America and political ideals in their names, such as "Council of Conservative Citizens" and "American Family Association." Some, such as "White Aryan Resistance" and "Supreme White Alliance," are more direct in their associations. Nearly all posit an erosion of rights and values; a way of life that is becoming lost to immigrants; a diffusion or integration of population; and government overstep. Many of these groups preach a necessity for violence, through either outright or thinly veiled language. Membership in these organizations poses another topic for investigation, as their ranks are not just anti-government or pro-gun rights types who seek to defend the Constitution. Many are simply citizens who see their ideal for America as under threat by various groups—whether ethnic, racial, or religious. This unique reference will allow readers to explore the underlying issues central to understanding them. How do these hate groups get started, and why do people join?

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of female terrorism in America, both past and present. The volume takes a fresh look at women’s actions of left-wing political violence, right-wing political violence, and religious extremist violence (among others). It also examines the multitude of roles that women have played over the past few decades in such organizations (including leadership positions and more passive roles)—not to mention the diverse methods of recruitment, radicalization, and propaganda. The objective of this book is to examine—using a wide range of case studies, facts, statistics, and theoretical methodologies—how collective or personal factors have influenced or reinforced the actions that these women take. Government agencies continue to underestimate the ability of women to support and perpetrate terrorism. As such, the United States is facing a wholly inaccurate and incomplete picture of the complexities of domestic terrorism, and this is contributing to a serious neglect of the issue at the national level. This volume ultimately aims to offer policy-relevant solutions to decrease the threat of domestic female political violence in the United States. Female Terrorism in America will be of much interest to students of terrorism and political violence, American politics, gender studies, and sociology.

The United States seems to be more ideologically divided than ever, with political polarization at an all-time high in recent history. Political differences can be positive, as when they drive an increase in political engagement or push both sides to come to better conclusions. But taken to an extreme, they can be dangerous. The viewpoints in this volume examine extremists on both the right and the left, how domestic extremism has evolved since the advent of the internet and social media, and how law enforcement at various levels should address it, particularly in the prevention of extremist attacks.

Shocking acts of terrorism have erupted from violent American far-right extremists in recent years, including the 2015 mass murder at a historic Black church in Charleston and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. These incidents, however, are neither novel nor unprecedented. They are the latest flashpoints in a process that has been unfolding for decades, in which vast conspiracy theories and radical ideologies such as white supremacism, racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and hostility to government converge into a deadly threat to democracy. God, Guns, and Sedition offers the definitive account of the rise of far-right terrorism in the United States—and how to counter it. Leading experts Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware trace the historical trajectory and assess the present-day dangers of this violent extremist movement, along with the harm it poses to U.S. national security. They combine authoritative, nuanced analysis with gripping storytelling and portraits of the leaders behind this violence and their followers. Hoffman and Ware highlight key terrorist tactics, such as the use of cutting-edge communications technology; the embrace of leaderless resistance or lone-wolf strategies; infiltration and recruitment in the military and law enforcement; and the movement’s intricate relationship with mainstream politics. An unparalleled examination of one of today’s great perils, God, Guns, and Sedition ends with an array of essential practical recommendations to halt the growth of violent far-right extremism and address this global terrorist threat.

Read professional, fair reviews by practicing academic, public, and school librarians and subject-area specialists that will enable you to make the best choices from among the latest reference resources. This newest edition of American Reference Books Annual (ARBA) provides librarians with insightful, critical reviews of print and electronic reference resources released or updated in 2017-2018, as well as some from 2019 that were received in time for review in the publication. By using this invaluable guide to consider both the positive and negative aspects of each resource, librarians can make informed decisions about which new reference resources are most appropriate for their collections and their patrons' needs. Collection development librarians who are working with limited budgets—as is the case in practically every library today—will be able to maximize the benefit from their monetary resources by selecting what they need most for their collection, while bypassing materials that bring limited value to their specific environment.

"This book analyzes data from a variety of sources to understand the mainstreaming of racism today. The book puts this research in a historical context. Today with issues of globalization, immigration and demographic diversification achieving greater public salience, racism is more likely to manifest itself more in the form of a generalized ethnocentrism that expresses "outgroup hostility" toward a diverse set of groups, including Latinos and Muslims as well as African Americans. Both changes in structure and agency have facilitated the mainstreaming of racism today. Changes in the "political opportunity structure," as witnessed by the rise of the Tea Party Movement, facilitated the mainstreaming of white extremists into the Republican Party and lay the basis for an electoral politics focused on giving voice to white people more generally acting on their outgroup hostility. Changes in the political structure were matched by the appearance of a charismatic leader in the person of Donald Trump who made great use of a transformed media landscape to stoke white people's outgroup hostility. Trump won the presidency most strategically deploying his demagoguery to mobilize white non-voters in swing states, with the end result greatly accelerating the mainstreaming racism and placing it at the center of policymaking in the White House. With the extensive empirical evidence provided, this book documents how the mainstreaming of racism today began before Trump started to run for the presidency but then increased under his leadership and it likely to be a troubling presence in U.S. politics for some time to come. The findings provided create the basis for suggestions on how to push racism back to the margins of American politics"--

This collaborative and edited volume explores the geopolitical and geostrategic significance of the South China Sea disputes. Experts from interdisciplinary fields and knowledge analyze the South China Sea's historical and contemporary strategic significance alongside the dynamics of evolving political powers in Asia. Overall, Navigating Uncertainty in the South China Sea Disputes explains why this issue resonates on a global scale and where it will move from here.This book explores a complex conflict challenging democracy, patriotism, resources, power, and the nature of Asia's future identity. With the increasing demand for natural resources in the region, it is becoming difficult to maintain a balanced and humanistic approach on the global stage. Navigating Uncertainty in the South China Sea Disputes will answer two key questions: first, why the South China Sea is of vital importance to Asia-Pacific nations; second, cover the interests of external powers and explain what international laws apply to the South China Sea, detailing rules that all parties should follow. By focusing attention on these issues, we hope to encourage scholars to expand the range of texts and genres they are willing to explore in search of nuanced ideas and debates.

Captivating, concise, and accessible, this Fourth Edition of Gus Martin’s popular text introduces readers to the modern landscape of terrorism. Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies covers key foundational topics by defining terrorism and introducing its history and causes, as well as discussing terrorist environments (domestic, international, religious, etc.), tactics, targets, and counterterrorism. The Fourth Edition presents new information regarding homeland security, emerging terrorist movements, gender-selective terrorism, the Internet and terrorism, social networking media and terrorism, religious terrorism, and media coverage of terrorism. It also presents new data, case studies, photos, and maps to show readers the locations of major terrorist activities and the devastation they have caused.

This work provides readers with an authoritative resource for understanding the true extent and nature of gun violence in America, examining the veracity of claims and counterclaims about mass shootings, gun laws, and public attitudes about gun control. This work is part of a series that uses evidence-based documentation to examine the veracity of claims and beliefs about high-profile issues in American culture and politics. Each book in the Contemporary Debates series is intended to puncture rather than perpetuate myths that diminish our understanding of important policies and positions; to provide needed context for misleading statements and claims; and to confirm the factual accuracy of other assertions. This particular volume examines beliefs, claims, and myths about gun violence, gun laws, and gun rights in the United States. Issues covered in the book include trends in firearm violence, mass shootings, the impact of gun ownership on rates and types of crime, regulations and Supreme Court decisions regarding gun control and the Second Amendment, and the activities and influence of organizations ranging from the National Rifle Association to Everytown for Gun Safety. All of these topics are examined in individualized entries, with objective responses grounded in up-to-date evidence.