DOCSLIB.ORG

A Frame Analysis of Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Propaganda William Travis Morris

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Frame Analysis of Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Propaganda William Travis Morris University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Student Work 7-2011 Breaking the Criminogenic Code: A Frame Analysis of Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Propaganda William Travis Morris Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork Part of the Criminology Commons Recommended Citation Morris, William Travis, "Breaking the Criminogenic Code: A Frame Analysis of Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Propaganda" (2011). Student Work. 15. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/15 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Work by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Breaking the Criminogenic Code: A Frame Analysis of Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Propaganda A Dissertation Presented to the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Ph.D. University of Nebraska at Omaha by William Travis Morris July 2011 Dissertation Committee: Chair: Dr. Pete Simi Dr. Dennis Hoffman Dr. Lorine Hughes Dr. Moshe Gershovich UMI Number: 3465747 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent on the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI 3465747 Copyright 2011 by ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This edition of the work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346 Breaking the Criminogenic Code: A Frame Analysis of Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Propaganda Travis Morris, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2011 Advisor: Dr. Pete Simi Abstract: This dissertation focuses on neo-Nazi and violent jihadi propaganda and its role in defining social boundaries. Frame analysis was used to gain a deeper understanding of how neo-Nazis and violent jihadis construct propaganda to neutralize objections and promote drift. Specifically, diagnostic and prognostic frames were analyzed for 10 ―effective‖ propagandists and two ―ineffective‖ propagandists in a comparative framework. This research uses a social psychological perspective, paying particular attention to the emotion of shame and advances the ―violence as communication‖ model into ―terrorism as criminogenic propaganda.‖ Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze how neo-Nazi and violent jihadi propagandists incorporate diagnostic and prognostic frames as techniques of neutralization. Specifically, I analyzed: 1) frame typologies, 2) relationships between frames, 3) location of frames, and 4) frame prevalence. The results provide a better understanding of the link between terrorist propaganda and radicalization and can be used to inform future research and policy decisions. i DEDICATION To my wife, Carrie, the love of my life. We walk as one. ii ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee: Dr. Pete Simi (chair), Dr. Dennis Hoffman, Dr. Lori Hughes, and Dr. Moshe Gershovich. I could not have asked for a better committee. I learned a great deal from each of you and your efforts are sincerely appreciated. The support from my family was truly amazing. Carrie, Eden, and Adara demonstrated unwavering support from beginning to end. There really aren‘t words to express how much you mean to me. I also have to thank my classmates who have walked along side me in this journey. Scott and Connie have become some of my closest friends and our time at UNO together created some wonderful memories. A heartfelt thanks also goes to Ben, Mary, and Tusty, who have been very supportive of me and my family throughout the dissertation process. Finally, I would like to thank my parents for their love, encouragement, and support. The most important things in life are ―caught‖ not ―taught‖ and the way they live their life still continues to guide me. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Introduction-1 Defining Terrorism-2 Criminology and terrorism: a review-4 The analytical framework of violence as communication-6 VAC and Frames-8 Refining Violence as Communication: Including Emotions and Propaganda-10 Terrorism as Criminogenic Propaganda-12 ―Propaganda‖ over ―Communication‖ adds specificity to VAC-13 ―Terrorism‖ over ―Violence‖ adds specificity to VAC-16 A Path Forward-16 The Ontology: The Key to Operationalizing Emotions in Frames-16 Network Text Analysis (NTA): Analyzing Emotional Frames in Criminogenic Propaganda-17 Neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadism: A Current Social Movement of Ideas-18 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE Situational Motivation Theories: Subcultural and Strain Theory-21 Violent Jihadism-25 Neo-Nazism-28 Differences and Similarities between Neo-Nazism and Violent Jihadism-36 Terrorism Scholarship-34 A Social Psychological Perspective in Terrorism Scholarship-39 Criminology, Techniques of Neutralization, & Framing-38 Frames and Framing-43 Framing, Erving Goffman, and the Media-44 Framing and Social Movements-46 Terrorism as Criminogenic Propaganda-49 Propaganda-52 The Emotion of Shame-55 Violent Jihadi and neo-Nazi Shame-58 CHAPTER 3: METHODS Research Design-60 Research Questions-61 Operationalizing Diagnostic/Prognostic Frames-65 Network Text Analysis (NTA)-69 Analytical Procedures-71 Research Sample-72 Effective Propaganda-75 iv CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS-DIAGNOSTIC FRAMES Introduction-79 A Typology of Neo-Nazi Diagnostic Frames-81 A Typology of Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Frames-89 Similarities and Differences Between neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Neutralization Techniques-97 Conclusion and Discussion-106 CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS-PROGNOSTIC FRAMES Introduction-109 A Typology of Neo-Nazi Prognostic Frames-110 A Typology of Violent Jihadi Prognostic Frames-121 Similarities and Differences Between neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Neutralization Techniques-131 Conclusion and Discussion-140 CHAPTER 6: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIAGNOSTIC & PROGNOSTIC FRAMES Introduction-144 Central Findings-145 Neo-Nazi Total Frame Prevalence-151 Neo-Nazi Violent Prognostic Frames as Solutions-152 Locating neo-Nazi Diagnostic & Prognostic Frames in Text-157 Violent Jihadi Total Frame Prevalence-162 Jihadi Violent Prognostic Frames as Solutions-163 Locating Violent Jihadi Diagnostic & Prognostic Frames in Text-168 Conclusion and Discussion-171 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION Summary of Key Findings-174 Neutralization Theory-177 Shame-182 Research Rationale-185 Research Limitations-187 Policy Implications-189 Future Research-191 REFERENCES-194 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: The Violence as Communication Concept-8 Figure 2: Terrorism as Criminogenic Propaganda-12 Figure 3: The Differences and Similarities between neo-Nazis and Violent Jihadis-33 Figure 4: Tissari (2006) Emotion Ontology Boundaries-68 Figure 5: Research Sample-76 Figure 6: A neo-Nazi/Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Typology-80 Figure 7: Similarities and Differences between neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Neutralization Techniques-98 Figure 8: A neo-Nazi/Violent Jihadi Prognostic Typology-110 Figure 9: Similarities and Differences between neo-Nazi and Violent Jihadi Neutralization Techniques-132 Figure 10: Network Text Analysis Closeness Algorithm-264 Figure 11: Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Frame Definitions/Codes-265 Figure 12: Neo-Nazi Diagnostic Frame Definitions/Codes-267 Figure 13: Violent Jihadi Prognostic Frame Definitions/Codes-270 Figure 14: Neo-Nazi Prognostic Frame Definitions/Codes-273 vi LIST OF FIGURES OF TABLES Table 1: Neo-Nazi Diagnostic Categories over Time-82 Table 2: Primary neo-Nazi Diagnostic Frames by Propagandist-87 Table 3: Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Typological Categories over Time-90 Table 4: Primary Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Frames by Propagandist-97 Table 5: Neo-Nazi Prognostic Typological Categories over Time-111 Table 6: Primary neo-Nazi Prognostic Frames by Propagandist-120 Table 7: Violent Jihadi Prognostic Typological Categories over Time-122 Table 8: Primary Violent Jihadi Prognostic Frames by Propagandist-131 Table 9: Neo-Nazi Diagnostic/Prognostic Prevalence-151 Table 10: Violent neo-Nazi Solutions to Out-Group/In-Group Problems-153 Table 11: Linking Violent Solutions to Neo-Nazi Diagnostic Types, Prevalence, and Closeness- 154 Table 12: The Location of neo-Nazi Diagnostic/Prognostic Frames-158 Table 13: Violent Jihadi Diagnostic/Prognostic Prevalence-163 Table 14: Violent Jihadi Solutions to Out-Group/In-Group Problems-164 Table 15: Linking Violent Solutions to Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Types, Prevalence, and Closeness-165 Table 16: The Location of Violent Jihadi Diagnostic/Prognostic Frames-167 Table 17: Types of neo-Nazi Diagnostic Frames-275 Table 18: Types of neo-Nazi Diagnostic Frames by Propagandist/Text-276 Table 19: Types of Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Frames-278 Table 20: Types of Violent Jihadi Diagnostic Frames by Propagandist/Text-280 Table 21: Types of neo-Nazi Prognostic Frames-282 Table 22: Types of neo-Nazi Prognostic Frames by Propagandist/Text-284 Table 23: Types of Violent Jihadi Prognostic Frames-286 Table 24: Types of Violent Jihadi Prognostic Frames by Propagandist/Text-287 Table 25: Relationship between neo-Nazi Prognostic/Diagnostic Frames-288 Table 26: Relationship between Violent Jihadi Prognostic/Diagnostic Frames-291
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Duckduckgo Search Engines Android
    Duckduckgo search engines android Continue 1 5.65.0 10.8MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.64.0 10.8MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.63.1 10.78MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.62.0 10.36MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.61.2 10.36MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.60.0 10.35MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.59.1 10.35MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.58.1 10.33MB DuckduckGo Privacy Browser 1 5.57.1 10.31MB DuckduckGo Privacy browser © DuckduckGo. Privacy, simplified. This article is about the search engine. For children's play, see duck, duck, goose. Internet search engine DuckDuckGoScreenshot home page DuckDuckGo on 2018Type search engine siteWeb Unavailable inMultilingualHeadquarters20 Paoli PikePaoli, Pennsylvania, USA Area servedWorldwideOwnerDuck Duck Go, Inc., createdGabriel WeinbergURLduckduckgo.comAlexa rank 158 (October 2020 update) CommercialRegregedSeptember 25, 2008; 12 years ago (2008-09-25) was an Internet search engine that emphasized the privacy of search engines and avoided the filter bubble of personalized search results. DuckDuckGo differs from other search engines by not profiling its users and showing all users the same search results for this search term. The company is based in Paoli, Pennsylvania, in Greater Philadelphia and has 111 employees since October 2020. The name of the company is a reference to the children's game duck, duck, goose. The results of the DuckDuckGo Survey are a compilation of more than 400 sources, including Yahoo! Search BOSS, Wolfram Alpha, Bing, Yandex, own web scanner (DuckDuckBot) and others. It also uses data from crowdsourcing sites, including Wikipedia, to fill in the knowledge panel boxes to the right of the results.
    [Show full text]
  • The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: a Hoax to Hate Introduction
    THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE PRESENTS A SPECIAL EXHIBIT OF A GRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE PROTOCOLS OF THE ELDERS OF ZION WILL EISNER, the celebrated “father of the graphic novel,” was deeply concerned about the resilience of anti-Semitism and the persistence of the conspiracy theory that Jews have a plan to control the world, as set down in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Applying his talent and creativity to further expose the notorious anti-Semitic treatise as a forgery, Mr. Eisner produced The Plot in 2003, with a goal toward educating all, but especially younger generations. A SPECIAL EXHIBIT PRESENTED BY THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE ADL is proud to present a special traveling exhibit telling the story of the infamous forgery, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, that has been used to justify anti-Semitism up to and including today. In 2005, Will Eisner’s graphic novel, The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion was published, exposing the history of The Protocols and raising public awareness of anti-Semitism. Mr. Eisner, who died in 2005, did not live to see this highly effective exhibit, but his commitment and spirit shine through every panel of his work on display. This project made possible through the support of the Will Eisner Estate and W.W. Norton & Company Inc. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: A Hoax to Hate Introduction It is a classic in the literature of hate. Believed by many to be the secret minutes of a Jewish council called together in the last years of the 19th century, it has been used by anti-Semites as proof that Jews are plotting to take over the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Spencer Sunshine*
    Journal of Social Justice, Vol. 9, 2019 (© 2019) ISSN: 2164-7100 Looking Left at Antisemitism Spencer Sunshine* The question of antisemitism inside of the Left—referred to as “left antisemitism”—is a stubborn and persistent problem. And while the Right exaggerates both its depth and scope, the Left has repeatedly refused to face the issue. It is entangled in scandals about antisemitism at an increasing rate. On the Western Left, some antisemitism manifests in the form of conspiracy theories, but there is also a hegemonic refusal to acknowledge antisemitism’s existence and presence. This, in turn, is part of a larger refusal to deal with Jewish issues in general, or to engage with the Jewish community as a real entity. Debates around left antisemitism have risen in tandem with the spread of anti-Zionism inside of the Left, especially since the Second Intifada. Anti-Zionism is not, by itself, antisemitism. One can call for the Right of Return, as well as dissolving Israel as a Jewish state, without being antisemitic. But there is a Venn diagram between anti- Zionism and antisemitism, and the overlap is both significant and has many shades of grey to it. One of the main reasons the Left can’t acknowledge problems with antisemitism is that Jews persistently trouble categories, and the Left would have to rethink many things—including how it approaches anti- imperialism, nationalism of the oppressed, anti-Zionism, identity politics, populism, conspiracy theories, and critiques of finance capital—if it was to truly struggle with the question. The Left understands that white supremacy isn’t just the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis, but that it is part of the fabric of society, and there is no shortcut to unstitching it.
    [Show full text]
  • In Defense of Cyberterrorism: an Argument for Anticipating Cyber-Attacks
    IN DEFENSE OF CYBERTERRORISM: AN ARGUMENT FOR ANTICIPATING CYBER-ATTACKS Susan W. Brenner Marc D. Goodman The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States brought the notion of terrorism as a clear and present danger into the consciousness of the American people. In order to predict what might follow these shocking attacks, it is necessary to examine the ideologies and motives of their perpetrators, and the methodologies that terrorists utilize. The focus of this article is on how Al-Qa'ida and other Islamic fundamentalist groups can use cyberspace and technology to continue to wage war againstthe United States, its allies and its foreign interests. Contending that cyberspace will become an increasingly essential terrorist tool, the author examines four key issues surrounding cyberterrorism. The first is a survey of conventional methods of "physical" terrorism, and their inherent shortcomings. Next, a discussion of cyberspace reveals its potential advantages as a secure, borderless, anonymous, and structured delivery method for terrorism. Third, the author offers several cyberterrorism scenarios. Relating several examples of both actual and potential syntactic and semantic attacks, instigated individually or in combination, the author conveys their damagingpolitical and economic impact. Finally, the author addresses the inevitable inquiry into why cyberspace has not been used to its full potential by would-be terrorists. Separately considering foreign and domestic terrorists, it becomes evident that the aims of terrorists must shift from the gross infliction of panic, death and destruction to the crippling of key information systems before cyberattacks will take precedence over physical attacks. However, given that terrorist groups such as Al Qa'ida are highly intelligent, well-funded, and globally coordinated, the possibility of attacks via cyberspace should make America increasingly vigilant.
    [Show full text]
  • The Radical Roots of the Alt-Right
    Gale Primary Sources Start at the source. The Radical Roots of the Alt-Right Josh Vandiver Ball State University Various source media, Political Extremism and Radicalism in the Twentieth Century EMPOWER™ RESEARCH The radical political movement known as the Alt-Right Revolution, and Evolian Traditionalism – for an is, without question, a twenty-first century American audience. phenomenon.1 As the hipster-esque ‘alt’ prefix 3. A refined and intensified gender politics, a suggests, the movement aspires to offer a youthful form of ‘ultra-masculinism.’ alternative to conservatism or the Establishment Right, a clean break and a fresh start for the new century and .2 the Millennial and ‘Z’ generations While the first has long been a feature of American political life (albeit a highly marginal one), and the second has been paralleled elsewhere on the Unlike earlier radical right movements, the Alt-Right transnational right, together the three make for an operates natively within the political medium of late unusual fusion. modernity – cyberspace – because it emerged within that medium and has been continuously shaped by its ongoing development. This operational innovation will Seminal Alt-Right figures, such as Andrew Anglin,4 continue to have far-reaching and unpredictable Richard Spencer,5 and Greg Johnson,6 have been active effects, but researchers should take care to precisely for less than a decade. While none has continuously delineate the Alt-Right’s broader uniqueness. designated the movement as ‘Alt-Right’ (including Investigating the Alt-Right’s incipient ideology – the Spencer, who coined the term), each has consistently ferment of political discourses, images, and ideas with returned to it as demarcating the ideological territory which it seeks to define itself – one finds numerous they share.
    [Show full text]
  • Military Guide to Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century
    US Army TRADOC TRADOC G2 Handbook No. 1 AA MilitaryMilitary GuideGuide toto TerrorismTerrorism in the Twenty-First Century US Army Training and Doctrine Command TRADOC G2 TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity - Threats Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 15 August 2007 DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited. 1 Summary of Change U.S. Army TRADOC G2 Handbook No. 1 (Version 5.0) A Military Guide to Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century Specifically, this handbook dated 15 August 2007 • Provides an information update since the DCSINT Handbook No. 1, A Military Guide to Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century, publication dated 10 August 2006 (Version 4.0). • References the U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006 dated April 2007. • References the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Reports on Terrorist Incidents - 2006, dated 30 April 2007. • Deletes Appendix A, Terrorist Threat to Combatant Commands. By country assessments are available in U.S. Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Country Reports on Terrorism 2006 dated April 2007. • Deletes Appendix C, Terrorist Operations and Tactics. These topics are covered in chapter 4 of the 2007 handbook. Emerging patterns and trends are addressed in chapter 5 of the 2007 handbook. • Deletes Appendix F, Weapons of Mass Destruction. See TRADOC G2 Handbook No.1.04. • Refers to updated 2007 Supplemental TRADOC G2 Handbook No.1.01, Terror Operations: Case Studies in Terror, dated 25 July 2007. • Refers to Supplemental DCSINT Handbook No. 1.02, Critical Infrastructure Threats and Terrorism, dated 10 August 2006. • Refers to Supplemental DCSINT Handbook No.
    [Show full text]
  • Holocaust-Denial Literature: a Fourth Bibliography
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works Publications and Research York College 2000 Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Fourth Bibliography John A. Drobnicki CUNY York College How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/yc_pubs/25 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Fourth Bibliography John A. Drobnicki This bibliography is a supplement to three earlier ones published in the March 1994, Decem- ber 1996, and September 1998 issues of the Bulletin of Bibliography. During the intervening time. Holocaust revisionism has continued to be discussed both in the scholarly literature and in the mainstream press, especially owing to the libel lawsuit filed by David Irving against Deb- orah Lipstadt and Penguin Books. The Holocaust deniers, who prefer to call themselves “revi- sionists” in an attempt to gain scholarly legitimacy, have refused to go away and remain as vocal as ever— Bradley R. Smith has continued to send revisionist advertisements to college newspapers (including free issues of his new publication. The Revisionist), generating public- ity for his cause. Holocaust-denial, which will be used interchangeably with Holocaust revisionism in this bib- liography, is a body of literature that seeks to “prove” that the Jewish Holocaust did not hap- pen. Although individual revisionists may have different motives and beliefs, they all share at least one point: that there was no systematic attempt by Nazi Germany to exterminate Euro- pean Jewry.
    [Show full text]
  • Filling Terrorism Gaps: Veos, Evaluating Databases, and Applying Risk Terrain Modeling to Terrorism RH Hagan
    PNNL-25727 Filling Terrorism Gaps: VEOs, Evaluating Databases, and Applying Risk Terrain Modeling to Terrorism RH Hagan August 2016 PNNL-25727 Filling Terrorism Gaps: VEOs, Evaluating Databases, and Applying Risk Terrain Modeling to Terrorism RH Hagan August 2016 Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-76RL01830 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Washington 99352 PNNL-25727 Abstract This paper aims to address three issues: the lack of literature differentiating terrorism and violent extremist organizations (VEOs), terrorism incident databases, and the applicability of Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) to terrorism. Current open source literature and publicly available government sources do not differentiate between terrorism and VEOs; furthermore, they fail to define them. Addressing the lack of a comprehensive comparison of existing terrorism data sources, a matrix comparing a dozen terrorism databases is constructed, providing insight toward the array of data available. RTM, a method for spatial risk analysis at a micro level, has some applicability to terrorism research, particularly for studies looking at risk indicators of terrorism. Leveraging attack data from multiple databases, combined with RTM, offers one avenue for closing existing research gaps in terrorism literature. iii Acknowledgments The author would like to sincerely thank several individuals for their contributions to this research. My mentor, Chrissie Noonan, for her guidance and support throughout this process, Carolyn Cramer for her operational support and insight, Alex Stephan, Lead for the Special Programs and Scientific Studies Team at PNNL, George Muller for his support and direction, Hannah Trump for her substantial help with the appendices, and Dan Fortin, Sam Chatterjee, and Thomas Johansen for the constant discussions.
    [Show full text]
  • The New Faces of Fascism: Populism and the Far Right'
    H-Nationalism Cârstocea on Traverso, 'The New Faces of Fascism: Populism and the Far Right' Review published on Tuesday, October 8, 2019 Enzo Traverso. The New Faces of Fascism: Populism and the Far Right. London: Verso, 2019. viii + 200 pp. $24.95 (cloth), ISBN 978-1-78873-046-4. Reviewed by Raul Cârstocea (University of Leicester) Published on H-Nationalism (October, 2019) Commissioned by Cristian Cercel (Ruhr University Bochum) Printable Version: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=54462 Historicizing the Present: A Conceptual Reading of Postfascism Previously relegated to the dustbin of history, a specialist subject of seemingly antiquarian interest and otherwise popular only as a term of abuse meant to delegitimize one’s opponents, the last decade has seen “fascism” come back in fashion, in the tow of the other two terms making up the subtitle of Enzo Traverso’s book: populism and the Far Right. The increasing importance of the latter on the political spectrum, part and parcel of a resurgence of authoritarianism that is presently experienced globally, from the “Old” to the “New” Europe and from China, Russia, and Turkey to the United States and Brazil, has conjured up the specter of “fascism,” even for (the majority of) authors who find the association misleading. As such, despite the deluge of publications trading in the subject with more or less insight, a book that explicitly aims to link the two phenomena and analyze its contemporary iterations as “new faces of fascism” could not be more timely. From the outset however, we are introduced to another term, “postfascism,” according to the familiar and (still?) fashionable tendency to assign a “post” to everything, from “human” to “truth.” The “concept emphasizes its chronological distinctiveness and locates it in a historical sequence implying both continuity and transformation,” underlining “the reality of change” (p.
    [Show full text]
  • The Democratic Party and the Transformation of American Conservatism, 1847-1860
    PRESERVING THE WHITE MAN’S REPUBLIC: THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICAN CONSERVATISM, 1847-1860 Joshua A. Lynn A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History. Chapel Hill 2015 Approved by: Harry L. Watson William L. Barney Laura F. Edwards Joseph T. Glatthaar Michael Lienesch © 2015 Joshua A. Lynn ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Joshua A. Lynn: Preserving the White Man’s Republic: The Democratic Party and the Transformation of American Conservatism, 1847-1860 (Under the direction of Harry L. Watson) In the late 1840s and 1850s, the American Democratic party redefined itself as “conservative.” Yet Democrats’ preexisting dedication to majoritarian democracy, liberal individualism, and white supremacy had not changed. Democrats believed that “fanatical” reformers, who opposed slavery and advanced the rights of African Americans and women, imperiled the white man’s republic they had crafted in the early 1800s. There were no more abstract notions of freedom to boundlessly unfold; there was only the existing liberty of white men to conserve. Democrats therefore recast democracy, previously a progressive means to expand rights, as a way for local majorities to police racial and gender boundaries. In the process, they reinvigorated American conservatism by placing it on a foundation of majoritarian democracy. Empowering white men to democratically govern all other Americans, Democrats contended, would preserve their prerogatives. With the policy of “popular sovereignty,” for instance, Democrats left slavery’s expansion to territorial settlers’ democratic decision-making.
    [Show full text]
  • A Content Analysis of Persuasion Techniques Used on White Supremacist Websites
    A Content Analysis of Persuasion Techniques Used on White Supremacist Websites Georgie Ann Weatherby, Ph.D. Gonzaga University Brian Scoggins Gonzaga University Criminal Justice Graduate I. INTRODUCTION The Internet has made it possible for people to access just about any information they could possibly want. Conversely, it has given organiza- tions a vehicle through which they can get their message out to a large audience. Hate groups have found the Internet particularly appealing, because they are able to get their uncensored message out to an unlimited number of people (ADL 2005). This is an issue that is not likely to go away. The Supreme Court has declared that the Internet is like a public square, and it is therefore unconstitutional for the government to censor websites (Reno et al. v. American Civil Liberties Union et al. 1997). Research into how hate groups use the Internet is necessary for several reasons. First, the Internet has the potential to reach more people than any other medium. Connected to that, there is no way to censor who views what, so it is unknown whom these groups are trying to target for membership. It is also important to learn what kinds of views these groups hold and what, if any, actions they are encouraging individuals to take. In addition, ongoing research is needed because both the Internet and the groups themselves are constantly changing. The research dealing with hate websites is sparse. The few studies that have been conducted have been content analyses of dozens of different hate sites. The findings indicate a wide variation in the types of sites, but the samples are so broad that no real patterns have emerged (Gerstenfeld, Grant, and Chiang 2003).
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation Department of Homeland Security
    Federal Bureau of Investigation Department of Homeland Security Strategic Intelligence Assessment and Data on Domestic Terrorism Submitted to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security, and the Committee of the Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives, and the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee of the Judiciary of the United States Senate May 2021 Page 1 of 40 Table of Contents I. Overview of Reporting Requirement ............................................................................................. 2 II. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 2 III. Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 2 IV. Strategic Intelligence Assessment ................................................................................................... 5 V. Discussion and Comparison of Investigative Activities ................................................................ 9 VI. FBI Data on Domestic Terrorism ................................................................................................. 19 VII. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 27 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]