SPRING 2017 The Public Eye

ENDGAME How “Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform” Institutionalizes a Right- Wing, Neoliberal Agenda

Also in this issue: and Whiteness • Between Trump and Putin • Review: The Populist Explosion editor’s letter

As we move into the second 100 days of the Trump era, it’s hard to keep track of every- BY NAOMI BRAINE thing that has changed since November 8. The Far Right threats we have long covered in these pages increasingly shape both the conservative movement and our national gov- THE PUBLIC EYE ernment. Violent rhetoric, physical attacks, and policies laden with White supremacy, QUARTERLY xenophobia, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQ invective are on the rise. From immigration to PUBLISHER health care to climate change, promising efforts for progressive reform are being rolled Tarso Luís Ramos back, even as mass resistance to the new administration helped scuttle Trump’s Muslim EDITOR ban and has fortified the congressional opposition. The administration, mired in mul- Kathryn Joyce tiple ongoing corruption scandals, has had difficulty aligning the disparate factions of the Republican Party behind its policy initiatives and continues to govern by executive COVER ART Erik Ruin order and fear-mongering. The Public Eye will continue to bring you fresh analysis, re- porting, and research on the most critical issues of our times. LAYOUT Gabriel Joffe Particularly at a time when the U.S. is as starkly divided as it is now, joint efforts that PRINTING bring together progressive criminal justice reformers with the likes of Red Sun Press and might seem like exactly the balm a fractured nation needs. But in EDITORIAL BOARD our cover story, “Endgame” (pg. 4), a deep-dive exploration of the state of bipartisan Frederick Clarkson • Alex DiBranco criminal justice reform efforts, Kay Whitlock reminds us that conservative support for Tarso Luís Ramos • Tope Fadiran progressive causes can come with a steep cost. Making the case against mass incar- Kapya Kaoma • L. Cole Parke ceration and the criminalization of communities of color on budgetary, rather than social justice grounds, may bring more parties to the table, but does little to address the systemic problems underlying the country’s incarceration crisis: “Reforms that leave so much injustice and violence intact and unchallenged will ultimately continue The Public Eye is published by to lead U.S. society to that prison and all of its shadow manifestations.” Whitlock calls Political Research Associates for an alternative, “an unapologetically progressive, anti-neoliberal agenda in the era of Trump.” Tarso Luís Ramos Executive Director In our second feature, Christopher Stroop also looks at strange bedfellows—in this case, Sarah Burzillo the factions of the U.S. Right drawn to Putinist Russia at a time when that country is Finance Manager seeking to exert substantial influence across Europe and in the U.S. “Between Trump Gabriel Joffe and Putin” (pg. 11) looks at both the democratic crises arising in countries where Rus- Program Coordinator sian actors have sought to influence elections as well as the less-examined ideological Kapya Kaoma ties binding together this new “Right-Wing International.” The result, Stroop writes, Research Analyst is an ideology that “rejects modern as a ‘rootless,’ culture-destroying glo- Greeley O’Connor balism, and offers in its place a ‘multipolar’ world order with strengthened national Communications Director sovereignty, weakened ‘supranational institutions,’ and a rejection of universal human L. Cole Parke rights.” Research Analyst Shayna Parker How these and other recent developments have come to be is the focus of Matthew Ly- Operations Coordinator ons’ review of John Judis’s recent book, The Populist Explosion (pg. 18). With populist Jennifer Worden upsurges evident both in the U.S. as well as across Europe, Lyons notes that while pop- Development Director ulist movements may arise “because people don’t feel represented by the conventional Fellows political options,” the left- and right-wing versions of populism are grounded in very Tope Fadiran • Frederick Clarkson different worldviews and expressions, as right-wing populism goes beyond champion- Spencer Sunshine • Mariya Strauss ing the people against the elite to also target demonized “out groups”—something all Interns too apparent in the age of Trump. Jess Conger-Henry • Conor Downey In that vein, “Trumpism and the Unstable Ground of Whiteness” (pg. 3), explores Board of Directors the forces that propelled Trump to office. Author Naomi Braine considers a “split- Dania Rajendra, Chair screen” view of White America that, on one side, recalls a mythical past of economic Katherine Acey • Paulina Helm-Hernandez glory, and on the other, the current reality of economic displacement and loss that’s Lynette Jackson • Janet Jakobsen easily blamed on scapegoated “others.” Trump’s successful appeals to xenophobia and Hamid Khan • Maria Elena Letona racism follow a well-worn historical path, from Reconstruction to Prohibition, wherein Jenny Levison • Scot Nakagawa the Far Right grows in response to demographic and cultural change. But the history Mohan Sikka • Zeke Spier of these reactive moments also includes warnings for progressives: “to be wary of al- Carla Wallace • Susan Wefald ternative social contracts that have genuinely progressive elements while maintaining authoritarian structures and White supremacy.” Founder Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. Make sure to log onto politicalresearch.org to follow blog posts, reports, and other crit- ical analysis from PRA in between issues. There you can also find PRA’s #First100Days Crash Course: a collection of classic PRA analysis on as well as a 14-week syllabus of readings on the subjects most vital to understand in today’s environment— 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 from the Alt Right to the distinctions between fascism and authoritarianism to the face Somerville, MA 02144-1837 Tel: 617.666.5300 of growing misogynist and White supremacist movements. [email protected] © Political Research Associates, 2017 Kathryn Joyce All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 90 www.politicalresearch.org commentary

BY NAOMI BRAINE

Trumpism and the Unstable Ground of Whiteness

rumpism is built on a split- screen image of life for the White middle and working classes: a contemporary view Tof economic suffering and “loss” to en- croaching “others,” while in the back- ground hovers a shimmering past of cul- tural and economic glory. In reality, of course, the lost economic prosperity has largely flowed upwards to the wealthiest segment of the U.S. population, and the Tarso Luís Ramos situation of White Trump voters contin- Executive Director Sarah Burzillo ues to be significantly better than that of Finance Manager African Americans and Latinxs of simi- Gabriel Joffe lar educational levels. Program Coordinator A dangerous aspect of this dual im- Kapya Kaoma age is that Trumpism describes a real Research Analyst element of White American experience Greeley O’Connor while linking it to racist and xenopho- Communications Director bic “alternative facts.” The parts of the L. Cole Parke Research Analyst country that can variously be described Shayna Parker as Trump country, “Red States,” or the Operations Coordinator older phrase “the heartland,” may be A member of Identity Evropa (a White supremacist college organization) sports a “Make America Great Again” Jennifer Worden concentrated in the Rust Belt, the South, Development Director hat at an event last year. (Photo courtesy of thetab.com.) and the Plains, but can also be found Fellows scattered through “” states like New Times of demographic and cultural the last major wave of immigration and Tope Fadiran • Frederick Clarkson York and California. I find “heartland” threat to a core White American iden- economic transformation, were a time Spencer Sunshine • Mariya Strauss useful because it captures the self-un- tity and experience have historically of significant right-wing mobilization Interns derstanding of the small cities, towns, empowered the Far Right. Post-Civil that spread throughout the U.S. and was Jess Conger-Henry • Conor Downey rural, sub- and ex-urban areas that have War reconstruction was obviously one largely normalized in White, non-urban Board of Directors long been the core of a White, largely such time, and led to the birth of the Ku areas.2 Significantly, the major threat to Dania Rajendra, Chair Katherine Acey • Paulina Helm-Hernandez Protestant, multi-generation U.S. ex- Klux Klan in the South. The Civil Rights White identity in the ‘20s and ‘30s came Lynette Jackson • Janet Jakobsen perience and identity that was cen- movement was another such time, and from Southern and Eastern European Hamid Khan • Maria Elena Letona tral to the Trump constituency. These also saw a resurgence of the KKK in the immigrants, who were considered nei- Jenny Levison • Scot Nakagawa heartland communities are currently South. In addition, the surge in neon- ther White nor Black according to the Mohan Sikka • Zeke Spier experiencing a decline in economic op- azi and other Far Right organizing in racial classifications of the time. Over Carla Wallace • Susan Wefald portunities, a marked increase in opiate the 1980s could be seen as another such time, these European immigrant groups addiction, and reduced life expectancy,1 period, following the movements of came to be understood as White,3 il- Founder Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. as well as a rise in racist xenophobia the 1960s and ‘70s that challenged tra- lustrating both the possibility of shifts most visible as Trumpism. The conver- ditional White male power structures. in racial categories and the power they gence of economic and demographic These three examples, however, were hold at any given moment in time. change is not unique to our current era, periods in which the Far Right was mobi- Demographers have been anticipat- 1310 Broadway, Suite 201 and has previously led to a surge in the lized in particular areas, not times when ing for many years the moment the Somerville, MA 02144-1837 Tel: 617.666.5300 power and respectability of the Far Right its ideology was normalized or widely U.S. population ceases to be a majority [email protected] among Whites living outside of major dispersed throughout the wider U.S. of European descent, or “White” in the © Political Research Associates, 2017 cities. The 1920s and early ‘30s, however, after current U.S. understanding of race. The All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 90 Commentary, continued on page 20 www.politicalresearch.org SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 3 BY KAY WHITLOCK ENDGAME How “Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform” Institutionalizes a Right-Wing, Neoliberal Agenda

Could it be possible… that white supremacy as an ideological formation has been nourished, rather than attenuated, by notions of progress and political development?

–Daniel Martinez HoSang, Racial Propositions

“Prison Industrial Complex” by Natasha Mayers. (Image via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.)

ctober 2016 marked the re- Marie Gottschalk, and Khalil Muham- What should one make of this? Is this lease of Ava DuVernay’s docu- mad, whose work profoundly helps to the softening of the Right? Are Davis and mentary, 13th: the most prom- shape our understanding of racialized Gingrich really in sync? Of course not. inent film to date to tackle the law enforcement, police and prison Davis is a scholar and prison abolitionist Ohistory of mass incarceration in the U.S. violence, mass incarceration, and the whose life’s work reflects an unequivo- DuVernay tells her story through the growth of the public-private prison in- cal, untiring commitment to expansive lens of the Thirteenth Amendment to dustrial complex. notions of liberation, freedom, and jus- the U.S. Constitution, which abolished Many activists are surprised to see tice. By contrast, the Right’s—and Gin- slavery and involuntary servitude “ex- the first two names joined with the lat- grich’s—embrace of “bipartisan reform” cept as a punishment for crime whereof ter. With decades of staunch right-wing builds on a long history of support for the part shall have been duly convicted.” activism, Gingrich, most recently an structural White supremacy and a larger Tracing the criminalization of Black ardent supporter of racial profiling to neoliberal austerity framework that pro- people as a class to this loophole, 13th counter “terrorism,”2 and Norquist, who motes an ever-expanding emphasis on movingly grieves lives lost to “law and heads Americans for and security.4 order” politics1 in recent years and in- dreams of shredding the social safety Those differences matter—profound- vites us to join the movement to dis- net,3 have been made over as conserva- ly, and sometimes in unexpected ways. mantle mass incarceration. The case for tive poster children for criminal justice How and why that came to be amounts to change is made by an unusual array of reform. They’re only two among scores a cautionary tale for progressive move- commentators, who span the political of hardline Republicans and right-wing ments about the “bipartisan reform con- spectrum. Newt Gingrich and Grover or libertarian think tanks and advocacy sensus.” Recognizing its assumptions, Norquist appear on equal footing with organizations promoting bipartisan col- limitations, and contradictions also such scholar-activists as Angela Davis, laboration. helps identify opportunities to advance

4 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 BY KAY WHITLOCK an unapologetically progressive, anti- tions to reforming the criminal justice For more than 10 years, “bipartisan neoliberal agenda in the era of Trump. system in the U.S. began to gain popu- reform” has been reshaping portions of lar traction, as high-profile incidents of the justice landscape. The bipartisan la- BIRTH OF THE “BIPARTISAN REFORM police violence drew public attention bel lends a certain cachet that generally CONSENSUS” to systemic problems with law enforce- exempts it from close examination. But More than an actual means of improv- ment violence. In 2009, Oscar Grant III, even well-intentioned reformers seeking ing policy, “bipartisan criminal justice a Black 22-year-old, was shot point blank to reduce racial disparities have some- reform” has become a mantra signifying in the back by a Bay Area Rapid Tran- times ended up supporting policies that hope: that people of good will can come sit (BART) officer when he was already preserved or intensified them. In the late together across ideological divides and being restrained face-down. He later 1970s, seeking to eliminate widespread partisan gridlock to end our country’s died, and when videos of the murder, racialized disparities in indeterminate overreliance on expensive and unjust captured by bystanders on cellphones, sentencing that kept many people in systems of incarceration. But what, ex- went viral, Grant’s death became a cata- prison for unjustifiable lengths of time, actly, are bipartisan advocates seeking lyst for protest. In 2010, Michelle Alex- liberal reformers united with conserva- to reform? ander’s bestselling book, The New Jim tives on a remedy of fixed sentencing By early 2017, according to Prison Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of guidelines, codified in the Sentencing Policy Initiative (PPI), the U.S. criminal Colorblindness, was published. A steady Reform Act of 1984. This included but justice system held more than 2.3 mil- toll of subsequent deaths, from Trayvon was not limited to mandatory mini- lion people in disparate public systems, Martin to Rekia Boyd to Michael Brown mums for some federal crimes. But as including 1,719 state prisons, 102 fed- to Freddie Gray followed, and the Black legal scholar David Jaros observes, “Un- eral prisons, 901 juvenile correctional Lives Matter movement arose, galvaniz- fortunately for liberals, the guideline re- facilities, 3,163 local jails, and 76 In- ing popular resistance to state violence gime established…ultimately advanced dian Country jails, as well as military against Black and other communities of hardline conservative criminal justice prisons, immigrant detention facilities, color. goals that were antithetical to the objec- civil commitment centers, and prisons Around the same time, a powerful tives of many of the Act’s liberal support- in U.S. territories. About 197,000 peo- public relations machine, amplified by ers.”9 The result: in most federal court ple are in federal prisons. An additional mass media, began promoting a nation- districts, Black people were more likely 41,000 immigrants are in civil deten- al bipartisan reform agenda. The agenda than White people to be convicted under tion at any given time by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—often in Reform alone cannot dismantle mass incarceration or reduce the private facilities or contract- ed jail space—for reasons scope of surveillance and supervision. unrelated to criminal pro- ceedings.5 Most people held in local jails have not been convicted encompasses particular reforms that mandatory minimum provisions and of anything but are awaiting trial. The generally fall into a few areas: amending received longer sentences than Whites overwhelming majority are held in pub- sentencing laws and addressing “over- convicted of the same crimes.10 licly-owned jails and prisons.6 The Bu- criminalization,” reforming pretrial And while the 1984 federal sentenc- reau of Justice Statistics reports that an practices, prison release/re-entry, com- ing reforms did not directly produce the additional 3.8 million people are on pro- munity corrections, and civil assets for- subsequent explosion of state “get tough bation in the and 870,500 feiture. (Immigrant detention has never on crime” laws, they helped to fuel it. are on parole. Astonishingly, this means been included.) This supports Angela Davis’ assertion that at the end of 2015, one in every 53 But for progressives and anti-racist ac- that all major criminal justice reforms adults in the United States was under tivists, this reform agenda leaves much fail to challenge the system in any mean- community supervision.7 to be desired. While bipartisan reform ingful way, but rather try to improve About 60 percent of those incarcer- advocates promise justice on the cheap upon it, with the result that “more peo- ated are people of color, mostly Black, by reserving prisons for “dangerous,” ple are brought under the surveillance Latinx, and Indigenous. The rate of “hardened,” and violent criminals, and of the correctional and law enforcement growth for the incarceration of women, lowering the number of non-dangerous networks.”11 Given this history—and particularly Black women, has outpaced offenders who are incarcerated, they what is at stake—it is essential to apply that of men. At the intersections of race have addressed neither the racialized a critical eye to the present generation of and class, LGBTQ and gender noncon- violence of policing nor the structural reform initiatives. forming people, and people with dis- racism, poverty, and economic violence The bipartisan approach didn’t spring abilities and mental illness are heavily that produce mass incarceration. Nor do up overnight. policed and incarcerated.8 they address the ways in which “reform” One of its antecedents can be found in Over the last decade, bipartisan solu- creates a massive shadow prison system. 1990s “welfare reform,” which similarly

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 5 sought to bring together Left and Right freedom.15 and other groups, NAACP President and in shared effort to overhaul a complex Texas continues to serve as an incuba- CEO Ben Jealous called for specific re- system. In 1996, U.S. Speaker of the tor and proving ground for right-wing forms to keep “dangerous criminals” in House Newt Gingrich and Texas gover- reforms. The Texas Public Policy Foun- prison while lowering costs by reducing nor George W. Bush, both Republicans, dation (TPPF), a think tank established sentences for low-level offenses. Neither and Democratic President , in 1989, is a major player. TPPF has the report nor speakers offered concrete pursued new restrictions and limita- deep ties to Charles and David Koch, suggestions for redirecting those sav- tions on and work requirements for Exxon, and other wealthy individuals ings to increased spending for education people receiving public assistance and and industries,16 and supports an ambi- beyond the creation of vaguely defined decentralization of federal welfare fund- tious agenda emphasizing “reinvestment commissions.” ing through the creation of state block deregulation, devolution (transfer of Months earlier, Newt Gingrich and grants. These measures further shred- power, accountability, and responsibil- Pat Nolan, then of Justice Fellowship, ded an already-tattered social safety net ity to lower levels of government and its the onetime political arm of Chuck Col- and laid new groundwork for accelerat- public or private designees), and priva- son’s Prison Fellowship International, ed assaults on remaining New Deal and tization. In 2010, TPPF launched Right had penned a Washington Post op-ed War on Poverty programs. The number on Crime, which plays a singular conser- announcing that ’s new of people in deep poverty increased, and vative role in promoting rhetorical and campaign “opens the way for a common- reform produced yet another wave of an- policy reform frameworks.17 sense left-right agreement on an issue ti-Black criminalizing discourse.12 that has kept the parties apart for de- In 1996, the Texas government re- COALITIONS, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PART- cades.”21 Nolan spoke at the press con- leased Faith in Action: A New Vision for NERSHIPS, AND UNEXPECTED ALLI- ference, as did Grover Norquist. Gin- Church-State Cooperation, a report at- ANCES grich could not attend but sent a letter of tacking the social welfare system as a It’s not clear exactly when the Right support. response to a host of social problems, and more liberal actors began to seek That evening, PBS Newshour’s Judy including crime.13 A Texas Faith-Based common reform ground, but some seeds Woodruff spoke with Jealous and Initiative was created. Many govern- of coalescence were evident by the early Norquist, asking Norquist if he agreed ment-operated welfare programs were 2000s. In 2003, the Open Society Insti- that at least some of the money spent replaced with moral rehabilitation pro- tute (now Open Society Foundations) re- on prisons ought to be directed to pub- grams delivered by non-state conserva- leased a paper on Justice Reinvestment lic education. Norquist hedged, saying, tive Christian institutions. The initiative as a framework for reform, arguing that “Well, that’s the NAACP’s study and included a criminal justice component. it made sound business sense to cut cor- analysis…I’m in favor of allowing tax- In 1997, the first contract was with the rections costs by reducing incarcerated payers to keep the money that’s present- InnerChange Freedom Initiative, an populations and redirect that money ly being misspent. But that’s a separate evangelical residential pre-release pro- to other social needs. Some portion of discussion…we can have that conversa- gram offered by Prison Fellowship—the the billions spent on prisons would be tion another time.”22 global prison ministry started by former directed “to rebuilding the human re- That exchange foreshadowed how Nixon aide Chuck Colson (after his Wa- sources and physical infrastructure— the bipartisan consensus would unfold. tergate-related imprisonment) that has the schools, health care facilities, parks, From the beginning, the center-liberal now become one of the largest programs and public spaces—of neighborhoods sector aligned with the Right in mak- of its kind in the world. Religious studies devastated by high levels of incarcera- ing a “dollars and sense” argument for scholar Tanya Erzen has documented the tion.”18 Over the next few years, in con- reducing mass incarceration, appealing subsequent rise and increasing institu- cert with the Council of State Govern- for support on the basis of cost, taxes, tionalization of faith-based (Protestant) ments and JFA Institute, the concept of and public safety rather than issuing a ministries in U.S. jails and prisons.14 justice reinvestment was institutional- full-throated call for structural, redis- Five years into Texas’ new faith-based ized as a mainstay of bipartisan reform, tributive justice. That early compromise initiative, a watchdog organization though not in the way the Open Society would have long-lasting effects on the monitoring the Far Right, Texas Free- paper advocates.19 ability of liberals and progressives to dom Network, noted that while the In- Other liberal groups followed suit. push for transformative change. Tax- nerChange program originally funded In 20ll, the National Association for and cost-based arguments advance aus- its own operations, in 2001, the Texas the Advancement of Colored People terity politics, which in turn intensify Department of Criminal Justice began (NAACP) held a press conference to re- violence and abandonment suffered by allocating money for its work, including lease its new report, Misplaced Priorities: the communities that are already most the provision of Bible-based counsel- Under Educate, Over Incarcerate, that an- criminalized. ing and “Christianity-centered materi- nounced a new “Smart and Safe” cam- Today’s “bipartisan consensus” on als.” Along with providing new funding paign to reinvest money saved by reduc- criminal justice reform is a brokered set streams for faith-based programs in ing mass incarceration on education.20 of “strange bedfellows” relationships multiple arenas, the initiative justified Joined by representatives from the that emerged over the last decade or so deregulation on the basis of religious American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) among various think tanks, selected

6 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 national advocacy organizations, foun- with a structured process intended to lic relations efforts.30 There has been at dations, and other funders. Its work is “to improve public safety and control least one major internal disagreement promoted as a middle way forward that taxpayer costs.”27 In addition to The Pew within the coalition (see online sidebar). is neither “tough” nor “soft,” but rather Charitable Trusts (which funds its own “smart” on crime. work), technical assistance is provided KEY REFORM ELEMENTS: CAUTIONARY Strategic bipartisanship to bridge by the Council of State Governments NOTES significant political divides has been a Justice Center, the Crime and Justice A quick look at a few key elements of trend within philanthropy and centrist Institute at Community Resources for the agenda suggest a more complicated think tanks for at least a decade. It has Justice, The Center for Effective Public story than that contained in campaign produced a number of efforts, largely Policy, the Urban Institute, and the Vera talking points. Beyond specific agenda not successful, to bring groups and con- Institute of Justice. issues and proposals are questions of stituencies together across chasms of Open Society Foundations funded the how they are framed, how they will be ideological difference to find responses ACLU to create a somewhat different ap- implemented, and possible gains or to longstanding tensions in such arenas proach to reducing incarceration and re- losses. as immigration reform, abortion, and allocating savings, although both mod- Sentencing Reforms climate change.23 But almost always, els emphasize sentencing reforms.28 In Reduced sentences for some catego- something crucial is lost for progres- 2014, with major funding support from ries of low-level, nonviolent offenses, sives. When centrist Democrats sought the ACLU, Californians for Safe Neigh- particularly for drug-related and minor to find common ground with conserva- borhoods and Schools successfully property offenses, are a reform center- tive opponents of abortion rights, the placed Proposition 47 (the Safe Neigh- piece. In various states, thousands of results were more restrictions on those borhoods and Schools Act) on the ballot. people have been released from jails and rights and less access to services.24 With support from the Tides Center, the prisons; many thousands more have had By the time the new wave of biparti- san reform emerged, the country had long since been shifting to the Right. “Liberalism had no power to cut the deal that had to be cut.” Speaking on condition of anonymity, one highly placed foundation official told me that as it all came together, coalition institutionalized into Califor- their conviction records changed; still center-liberal partners couldn’t compete nians for Safety and Justice (CSJ), which others will benefit from shorter sentenc- with the libertarian-Right’s already well- works to facilitate and expand the Prop- es. This is a remarkable and necessary developed analyses, rhetoric, talking osition 47 agenda. A sister organization, “decarceration” accomplishment that points, policy templates, and political The Alliance for Safety and Justice, also must be amplified. Thousands of - oth dominance. supported by the Tides Center, was cre- ers, pre-trial or pre-charge, are diverted “Liberalism had no power to cut the ated to advance various reforms in other to some form of community corrections deal that had to be cut,” the official states. and supervision, mandatory treatment said.25 In 2015, the national Coalition for Pub- for substance abuse, or “alternatives to The result is creation of a series of fed- lic Safety was created with funding from incarceration.” eral, state, and local coalitions and ever- Koch, Arnold, MacArthur, and Ford to Some reform initiatives also increase expanding private-public partnerships serve as a public face for and promote certain sentences. Mississippi’s reforms that organize, promote, and implement the bipartisan consensus.29 Center-liber- did both.31 So did the federal Sentenc- reform agendas. al partners include the ACLU, the Center ing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, Major partners and federal-state part- for American Progress, NAACP, and the which failed to pass that year and did not nerships helping to shape and imple- Leadership Conference Education Fund. gain sufficient traction in Congress the ment the “bipartisan consensus” in- In addition to Right on Crime, the liber- following year.32 Should the liberal-Left clude funders across a broad political tarian-Right partners include Norquist’s sector accept some sentencing increas- spectrum, such as Koch Industries26 and (which op- es, however grudgingly, on the basis of the Laura and John Arnold Foundation poses any new taxes and most existing pragmatism? on the Right, and the more liberal Ford ones), ’s Faith & Freedom Co- Expanding Community Corrections & Su- Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. alition (which mobilizes against LGBTQ pervision MacArthur Foundation, and Open Soci- rights and recognition and reproduc- Bernadette Rabuy and Peter Wagner ety Foundations. A host of other founda- tive justice, and for school privatization of the Prison Policy Institute emphasize tions and donors also support aspects of and removal of church/state barriers), that justice reform “should aim to reduce this work. and FreedomWorks (which mobilizes the number of people under correctional With funding from the federal Bu- against unions and for so-called “right control rather than simply transfer peo- reau of Justice Assistance, the Justice to work” laws, deregulation, and school ple to other pieces of the correctional Reinvestment Initiative (JRI), a public- privatization). Since its inception, the pie.”33 But over the past decade, there private partnership, provides technical Coalition for Public Safety (CPS) appears has been a quiet but steady expansion assistance to participating states along to have focused primarily on genial pub- in the often onerous requirements and

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 7 conditions placed on people under some charged, with even worse consequences ous. The ACLU and some other initial form of correctional control, including accompanying possible conviction. Vio- advocates withdrew support because community corrections or alternatives lation of these conditions, including the final wording contained changes to imprisonment.34 failing to pay associated fees, is met with demanded by the politically influen- This system includes parole and pro- “swift and certain” responses, including tial for-profit bail bond industry. These bation supervision, treatment/rehab incarceration. changes required poor people to provide programs, electronic monitoring, con- Much of the funding for this expansion evidence of poverty and added ambigu- tractual truancy monitoring, re-entry comes through “justice reinvestment” or ous wording that potentially could be programs, and specialized drug, vet- offloading costs onto individuals who misused against particular communi- eran, mental health, and other “prob- are increasingly required to pay some ties, including immigrants.39 lem-solving” courts.35 Framed as hu- or all of the costs of community correc- In 2017, the Movement for Black Lives mane alternatives that make it possible tions. People who can least afford it may (MLB), in collaboration with other part- to divert people from prisons, too often have to pay for drug tests and shoulder ners, released Transformative Bail Re- they come with profound costs to the the cost of other treatment, supervision form, a popular education curriculum, fees, and startup and ongo- an invaluable and unique resource for ing (daily or monthly) fees grassroots organizers and social justice for electronic monitoring. to help them understand the issues in a But many of these people larger historical, social, and economic shouldn’t be in the system at context.”40 There must be a concerted all. effort to help get this information in the A mix of public-private hands of local social justice organizers to for-profit and nonprofit- in inform their work. stitutions, ranging from “Reinvestment” Sleight of Hand municipal drug courts to pri- According to a 2016 Urban Institute vately-run probation systems report on Justice Reinvestment Initiative to corporate corrections be- programs in many states, more than $1 hemoths like The Geo Group billion has been saved (or calculated as to local prisoner aid organi- averted costs) over time by reducing the zations, community correc- number of people incarcerated in partic- tions, as a category, provides ipating states. Yet JRI savings are not re- uneven quality of services allocated to improve the health and well- and technologies. Every pos- being of communities most impacted by sible arena becomes a poten- race-based policing and mass incarcera- tial corrections and surveil- tion, except indirectly, through recy- lance site. In practice, this cling into some form of prison-based or Powerful resistance movements such as Black Lives Matter have matrix is often plagued with community corrections work.41 surged in recent years. Photo: Fibonacci Blue via Flickr. profiteering, scandal, and Prop 47’s initial “community invest- corruption.38 What strate- ment” savings—about $68 million once individuals remanded to them and the gies can effectively challenge this in the substantive governmental disputes over communities already reeling from the short term and transform it in the long the correct amount were settled—were impacts of mass incarceration.36 While run? to be distributed by three different bod- reform often produces some degree of Money Bail Reform ies through competitive grants for drug decarceration, it does not, by itself, dis- A bail bond is the amount of money a treatment, mental health services, and mantle mass incarceration.37 Nor does it defendant is required to pay as a guaran- supportive housing for people in the permanently reduce the scope of law en- tee they will show up in court. A person criminal justice system (65 percent); forcement surveillance and supervision. who is unable to pay may be—and often programs for at-risk students (drop- To the contrary, pre-charge and pre-trial is—incarcerated from the time of arrest out and truancy) in K-12 schools (25 diversion into some form of commu- until the case is resolved. percent); and victim services (10 per- nity corrections ends up also sweeping Urgently needed, money bail reform cent). Yet as of December 2016, almost in people who have not been convicted is moving forward in a growing num- two years after the passage of Prop 47, of crimes, and in some cases, have not ber of municipalities and states, but it none of the “savings” had been spent for yet been arrested, but who must comply can be a double-edged sword. In 2016, these designated purposes. (The money with state-imposed conditions for set New Mexico voters approved a consti- should be reallocated in Spring 2017.)42 periods of time before their records are tutional amendment permitting judges The Movement for Black Lives and cleared. This means that they bear the to deny bail to certain defendants con- others in progressive justice movements consequences of punishment, although sidered “exceptionally dangerous” and promote far more liberatory “invest/ they have not been found guilty of any also grant pretrial release without bail divest/reinvest” frameworks for orga- offense. The alternative is to be formally to those who are not considered danger- nizing.43 But in many jurisdictions, pro-

8 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 gressives will have to organize to over- social control that includes prisons. In state violence against Black, Latinx, In- come or transform the closed, restrictive this light, consider again the Sentencing digenous, and Muslim peoples, against processes that are already institutional- Reform Act of 1984. Ultimately calami- immigrants and refugees, has surged. ized. tous (and still racially biased) policies Black Lives Matter, #SayHerName, Rhetoric of Danger came into being in part because “crimi- Dream Defenders, the Movement for When we fail to challenge and trans- nal justice” was narrowly framed as a Black Lives, and the Standing Rock wa- form the terms of engagement, reform standalone issue whose problems could ter protectors have inspired progres- agendas relying on representations of be corrected by tinkering with the me- sives. Increasingly, incarcerated and danger and violent criminals always chanics of sentencing. formerly incarcerated people have been win out over social, economic, and en- It’s happening again. The U.S. carcer- organizing to make their voices heard vironmental justice. In the U.S., anyone al system is not winding itself down as and advance more progressive agendas. labeled violent, dangerous, or criminal a humanitarian response to the racial- Justice advocates should support and is considered disposable. Bipartisan ized and economic brutalities of mass help strengthen this work without per- reform campaigns center the themes of danger and public safety, and the framing implies that “public safety” is The Right utilizes every possible issue to advance an primarily a function of policing, surveil- lance, and control, with the prison al- ideological agenda and endgame. The Left, by contrast, has ways in the background as the essential no similar endgame in mind. repository for “danger” and the dispos- able people who are marked as its em- bodiment. incarceration. Rather, it’s reinventing mitting White people, non-Indigenous That doesn’t ever bode well for justice and renewing itself under the bipartisan people, and people who have never been movements but particularly now when mask of reform. And today, as in 1984, incarcerated to take it over. they must contend with a new and un- conservative-Right reformers are better Some campaigns that attract support stable president who rose to power on a organized to win on contested terrain. across the , such as wave of right-wing populism, stoking a The Right utilizes every possible is- money bail reform, are vitally impor- toxic mix of White nationalism and ra- sue—criminal justice reform, health tant. But it is also important to question cialized resentment and rage. Particu- care, school privatization, environmen- and sometimes challenge “brokered” larly concerning is the appointment of tal protection, industry regulation, reli- rhetoric about danger. Conservatives , who has a long, racist “law gious liberty—to advance an ideological may well want to advance their argu- and order” history, as attorney general. agenda and coherent, holistic endgame. ments in fiscal terms, but that doesn’t As a champion of voter suppression, The progressive-Left sector, by contrast, mean social justice movements should draconian anti-immigrant policies, has no similar endgame in mind. accept without challenge austerity ar- harsh sentencing policies, expanded guments and privatization strategies. incarceration, racial profiling, and - un LOOKING AHEAD Justice should never be for sale. And it bridled police power to quell imagined My argument is the policies that have is always important to redefine in libera- or actual dissent, he is obsessed with driven us apart, the policies that have tory ways what constitutes community doing battle against racialized, violent trapped African-Americans in all too well-being and safety outside the frame- notions of criminals.44 At the same time, large numbers in poverty and in hope- work of policing and the criminal justice justice movements know Sessions isn’t lessness [are] the ideological policies that system. the only problem. Today’s growing tor- say, “Black lives matter.” -Newt Gin- Where “bipartisan consensus” re- rent of state and local efforts to harshly grich, 2016, on Fox and Friends47 forms and framing are problematic and criminalize dissent comes in the wake Lately funders have been very excited by might intensify harm to heavily incar- of anti-state violence uprisings and the the possibility of groups aligning with cerated communities, or simply recon- Standing Rock water protectors’ asser- unlikely allies. But to create a powerful figure it, there is already significant -or tion of Indigenous sovereignty as much front, a front with the capacity to change ganizing work underway that suggests as 2017 protests surrounding Trump’s the landscape, it seems that connecting better approaches to transformation inauguration.45 The challenges we face with likely allies would be a better use of are possible. Harm reduction efforts are are the result of decades of right-wing time and trouble. -Ruth Wilson Gilmore, critical to support and advocate for peo- activism, not simply the ascendance of “In the Shadow of the Shadow State”48 ple who are incarcerated and under com- Jeff Sessions. The same threats posed by reform that munity supervision. One useful strat- In 1883, the abolitionist and former fails to engage structural violence and egy to dismantle the prison industrial slave Frederick Douglass spoke about the inequality also identify possible open- complex and develop youth leadership, power of racial criminalization, noting ings for social justice movement base- writes anti-violence writer and educa- “the general disposition in this country building and grassroots organizing. tor Mariame Kaba, “is participatory de- to impute crime to color.”46 He was de- Popular and powerful resistance to fense campaigns. These are grassroots scribing a massive system of racialized the criminalization and deployment of efforts to pressure authorities, attend

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 9 q & a

to prisoner needs, and raise awareness Designed to help strengthen field orga- war and super-exploitation to keep capi- BY CHRISTOPHER STROOP and funds.”49 Kaba emphasizes the im- nizing, its resources included an expan- talism going.” Even justice movements portance of placing this work in an abo- sive documentary archive and power can unwittingly come to accept an aus- litionist context that doesn’t concede analysis that illuminated the specific terity mindset. She encourages activists the inevitability of prisons. There is no civic and economic structures support- to think about austerity politics and the Between Trump and Putin “one-size-fits-all” answer to whether or ing segregation.52 push for privatization beyond the frame how we might engage reform efforts, Present day examples include the of greed and corruption in order to more The Right-Wing International, a Crisis of Democracy, but Kaba proposes this essential guide- Movement for Black Lives platform and effectively understand, resist, and offer and the Future of the European Union line: “[A]ll of the ‘reforms’ that focus on the Southern Movement Blueprint: A Plan alternatives to its profoundly desocializ- strengthening the police or ‘morphing’ of Action in a Time of Crisis, a synthesis ing impacts.54 policing into something more invisible of analysis from communities through- We can start by changing the way we but still as deadly should be opposed.”50 out the region to help build a powerful, think about, discuss, and depict the dev- States and counties remain the pri- progressive Southern infrastructure for astation of the prison industrial com- mary arenas for bipartisan reform cam- change connected, across movements, plex. Although it wasn’t as widely cov- paigns and initiatives. It will be up to by common principles, values, and ered as 13th, 2016 also saw the release grassroots social justice organizations work.53 of another documentary: Brett Story’s in those locales to decide if or how to en- The Prison in 12 Landscapes. Story’s film gage them. The work of Women With a transports us into a variety of rural and Vision (WWAV) in provides urban geographies—New York City and one example of principled engagement rural Kentucky, and Ferguson, that simultaneously serves immediate Marin County, California and beyond— needs while advancing long-range jus- in order to glimpse the long, racialized, tice goals. With a long history of com- and economically violent impact of the munity organizing led by Black women, U.S. prison system. The film offers a the organization took on issues of racial quiet but deeply unsettling look at the bias and lack of transparency in the dis- framework of the civil society we have trict attorney’s diversion program. The created, seen through the refracted light result was the co-creation of Crossroads, of the prison and the expansive systems a radically better diversion program for of carceral control it generates, and all women facing drug and prostitution without seeing a single prison until the charges.51 last, lingering shot. Lastly, we must lift issues of law en- And, in a way, that’s the point. Re- forcement violence and mass incarcera- forms that leave so much injustice and tion out of the stranglehold of a single- violence intact and unchallenged will ul- issue framework in order to see them timately continue to lead U.S. society to in a larger, even global, context. It is that prison and all of its shadow manifes- essential to develop structural analyses tations. Long-term, collective strategies that make clear the complex and inter- of social and economic transformation, related drivers of race-, class-, gender-, Poster created with the Audre Lorde Project, which pro- by contrast, can take us through chang- and disability-based policing and mass motes models of safety outside of the prison industrial ing landscapes, step by determined step, incarceration. The analysis must be cen- complex. (Courtesy of the artist, Micah Bazant.) and lead us toward the day that there tered in the experiences and insights of will be no prison at journey’s end. the communities most affected, not pro- Ruth Wilson Gilmore, an anti-prison duced by elites. Rather than settling for activist and author of Golden Gulag: Kay Whitlock is a writer and activist whose the trade-off, this work invites justice Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition work focuses on challenging structural advocates to begin articulating an end- in Globalizing California, argues that this forms of violence, particularly in public game that consciously connects work on step is critical in order to break through systems. She is coauthor of Considering protection, solidarity, sanctuary, mu- narrow thinking, connect local realities Hate: Violence, Goodness, and Justice in tual aid, and environmental protection to international movements for justice, American Culture and Politics with Mi- with long-term, cross-movement strate- and organize more effectively. “The chael Bronski and Queer (In)Justice: The gies for liberation. problem with a good deal of analysis Criminalization of LGBT People in the Examples of how to engage this task about what is happening everywhere,” United States with Joey L. Mogul and An- abound. In 1962, the Student Nonvio- she told me, “is that it is constricted by drea J. Ritchie. A prison abolitionist, she lent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the obscuring thickness of neoliberalism lives in Missoula, Montana. whose members did some of the riski- and globalization. That is, the ideology est organizing and outreach work of and rhetoric of neoliberalism has blan- the Civil Rights movement in the Deep keted the earth at the same time that glo- South, created a Research Department. balization is blanketing the world with

10 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 BY CHRISTOPHER STROOP Between Trump and Putin The Right-Wing International, a Crisis of Democracy, and the Future of the European Union

So. Washington is ours. Chișinău the 2016 U.S. election was the conver- I wrote in The Public Eye in 2016.5 is ours. Sofia is ours. It remains gence of the rhetoric and talking points Given this context, it’s unsurpris- but to drain the swamp in Rus- of President and his sup- ing that the most toxic elements of the sia itself.” Right-wing Russian porters with those of the Kremlin. And U.S. Right are drawn to Putinist Russia. “ideologue Alexander Dugin posted this in the tangled and ongoing investiga- In 2004, for example, White suprema- pronouncement as his Facebook status tion of Russian involvement with U.S. cist David Duke declared, “Russia has on November 13, 2016.1 Each of the and European elections, these ideologi- a greater sense of racial understanding cities he named is the capital of a coun- cal connections and motivations have among its population than does any try—the U.S., Moldova, and Bulgaria, gone far less noticed. other predominantly White nation.”6 respectively—that had recently elected While in Soviet times the Kremlin’s Duke has since cultivated ties with Rus- a leader espousing at least some views Marxist ideology attracted its share sia, among other things maintaining an that are favorable to Moscow. And each of Western sympathizers, post-Soviet apartment in Moscow that he has sub- had elections that took place amid con- Moscow has, if you will, dialectically leased to fellow White supremacist ac- cerns about Russian influence. emerged at the center of a “traditional- tivist Preston Wiginton.7 Knowing who Dugin is makes his ist international” around which many Interest in Russia among the global post-U.S. electoral victory cheer more right-wing fellow travelers are rally- Right has grown steadily in recent years, chilling. Dugin, who might be seen as ing. There is an older history of Ameri- accelerating since the beginning of Pu- a Russian counterpart to U.S. Alt Right can conservative attraction to Russian tin’s third term in 2012. Since then, the leader Richard Spencer, made an early Christians and anti-Communists. Pa- Russian state has not only coordinated endorsement of then-candidate Trump leoconservative leader , more closely with the Russian Orthodox in February, 2016 through Katehon, an a contemporary apologist for Russian Church, but has also come increasingly illiberal “think tank” headed by Rus- President Vladimir Putin, noted as to portray itself, with a high degree of sian oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, a much in a post-Crimea paean to Putin, success, as the global standard bearer man known for conceiving and financ- when he wrote that “The ex-Communist for “traditional values” conservatism.8 ing conservative Christian initiatives.2 who exposed Al- While Russia cultivates ties to West- Dugin is also on the U.S. individual ger Hiss as a Soviet spy, was, at the time erners on both the Far Left and the Far sanctions list for his role in the Ukraine of his death in 1964, writing a book on Right, Russia’s leading ideologues and crisis—specifically for his leadership in ‘The Third Rome’”—the conviction that, soft power institutions—such as think- the Eurasian Youth Union, which, as the after the original Roman Empire, and tanks, government-backed non-govern- Department of the Treasury reported, “the Second Rome” of Constantinople, mental organizations, and university “actively recruited individuals with mili- Moscow inherited the mantle of Chris- centers—promote right-wing, neo-Eur- tary and combat experience to fight on tian empire.4 asianist traditionalism. This ideology behalf of the self-proclaimed [Donetsk This fascination with Russian conser- rejects modern liberalism as a “rootless,” People’s Republic] and has stated that it vatives and Russia’s conservative poten- culture-destroying globalism, and offers has a covert presence in Ukraine.”3 Per- tial was also shared by some of the direct in its place a “multipolar” world order haps most notably, Dugin is also a chief ideological ancestors of today’s U.S. with strengthened national sovereign- proponent of neo-Eurasianism: an ide- White nationalists, such as Francis Park- ty, weakened supranational institutions ology encapsulating Russian “tradition- er Yockey, a mid-century U.S. Far Right (such as the European Union), and a re- alism” (including the rejection of femi- leader and avowed antisemite, who jection of universal human rights, with nism, “globalism,” and LGBTQ rights) called for Western-Soviet cooperation in women’s rights, the rights of ethnic and and the belief that Russia has a Manifest fighting Zionism. Since that time, post- religious minorities, and LGBTQ rights Destiny of its own—a mystical calling Soviet Russia has become a right-wing particularly threatened. not only to take dominion of Eurasian state that has cultivated, through the ef- Russia’s embrace of this anti-feminist, spaces from the Baltic to the Pacific, but forts of the Russian Orthodox Church as anti-LGBTQ, anti-“globalist” “tradi- also to revive the West’s Christian roots. well as right-wing intellectuals like Du- tionalism” has coincided with a period One of the more striking features of gin, a loose right-wing international, as in which the Russian state, concerned

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 11 about “color revolutions” and NATO salient that the U.S. right-wing Breitbart would have been. With this in mind, expansion, has increasingly sought to News Network is seeking to expand into Dugin’s declarations—that Washington, weaken Western institutions. Putin’s European markets, bringing the same Chișinău, and Sofia are Russia’s—seem agenda in this regard is not only to narratives of xenophobia and religious like more than mere braggadocio, even strengthen Russian power at the expense traditionalism that helped mobilize if they are inflated. Will Dugin be declar- of the West, but also to undermine be- Trump’s supporters. While Breitbart has ing “Berlin is ours” this fall? lief in the viability of liberal democracy not yet opened new offices in Germany Dugin is not a latter-day Rasputin, the itself. The means by which Russia pur- or France, these plans seem not to have peasant healer who was widely believed sues this agenda include cultivating ties been tabled.12 to hold undue influence over the last Ro- with Western anti-democratic forces, To be sure, the enthusiasm of the manov royal family. But, despite some inundating the West with propaganda, Russian political establishment for the assertions to the contrary from those and employing other active measures, Trump administration has faded as 2017 seeking to downplay Dugin’s signifi- including hacking, in influence cam- proceeds. In addition to disagreeing cance, he is also far from a fringe figure. paigns. What does Russia’s central role with Russia over Syria, the Trump ad- Nina Kouprianova—the estranged wife in rising global right-wing populism ministration has ham-handedly tried to of Alt Right leader Richard Spencer who mean for the prospects of the EU, par- distance itself from Russia after Nation- writes pro-Putin and anti-Ukrainian ticularly in light of Brexit and Trump’s al Security Advisor Michael Flynn was commentary under the name Nina Byz- ascendancy to the U.S. presidency? The forced to resign in February for failing antina—has translated some of Dugin’s stakes are high this year. While the re- to disclose that he discussed a possible far-right political theory into English, sults of the Dutch and French elections lifting of Russian sanctions with Russian bolstering Dugin’s influence among have been encouraging for the future of Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak American White supremacists. While the EU and NATO, an important German during the transition period. Russian Kouprianova has downplayed the rela- election is yet to come, and the threat of politicians also became more cautious, tionship between Dugin and Putin,14 the disinformation originating in both Rus- even as they and Russian media rallied latter’s foreign policy is clearly informed sia under Putin and the United States to the defense of Flynn. (In 2015 Flynn by Dugin’s worldview in ways that are under Trump remains serious. spoke at the 10th anniversary gala of relevant to Russian influence in Euro- the Russian propaganda network RT in pean and U.S. politics, as Eurasia expert EVALUATING DUGIN’S CLAIM: THE IN- Moscow, where he sat at Putin’s table. Casey Michel explains: TERNATIONAL APPEAL OF RUSSIAN IL- At a hearing before the Senate Judiciary If Dugin’s name is at all familiar, it’s LIBERALISM Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime likely due to his neo-fascist screeds, Russian interference and influence and Terrorism on May 8, fired former posited as geopolitical analysis, that in Europe, including the promotion of Acting Deputy Attorney General Sally have begun swirling international far-right “traditionalism,” should be of Yates confirmed that the Department trends. As Spencer is to the alt-right, concern to defenders of human rights of Justice believed Flynn to be compro- so, too, is Dugin to the modern in- in light of the West’s current crisis of mised.) carnation of “Eurasianism,” a geo- democracy.9 The future of the EU, af- But the shared illiberal agenda of political theory positing Russia as ter Brexit, is very uncertain. Should Trump and Putin remains a threat to Eu- the inheritor of “Eternal Rome” and the EU be abandoned by another major rope. This April at a G7 meeting, U.S. one of the primary ideological bul- player, the kind of illiberal, authoritar- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson—who warks pushing the Kremlin to carve ian, right-wing populism represented in 2013 received the Russian Order of eastern Ukraine into the fanciful en- by Russia would continue to spread, to Friendship from Putin—unnerved many tity of “Novorossiya.” While much of the detriment of democracy and human in Europe when he asked, “Why should Dugin’s influence on the Kremlin has rights.10 That’s already happening in U.S. taxpayers care about Ukraine?” been over-hyped, Dugin’s Foundations places such as Hungary, where Prime Such a statement aids Putin’s goal of un- of Geopolitics remains assigned to ev- Minister Viktor Orbán, of the right-wing dermining democracy, even if Tillerson ery member of Russia’s General Staff populist Fidesz Party, openly admires has also proven willing to give at least Academy [the premier Russian insti- Putin and has recently moved to shut lip service to criticizing Russian aggres- tution for continuing training of high- down Central European University. In- sion.13 ranking military officers]. And despite deed, European elites themselves have And even apart from an immediate Kouprianova’s claims that “there is no begun to express a need to protect their normalization of U.S.-Russian rela- evidence of communication between” countries and values not only from tions on Russian terms—something it Dugin and Putin, Charles Clover, in Russia, but potentially also from the seems the Trump team at least initially his masterful history of Eurasianism, United States, in which a Russian influ- desired, and which would be geopoliti- noted that Putin and Dugin met a few ence campaign helped elect an illiberal cally destabilizing as it would weaken months after the former ascended to president about whom Alexander Du- NATO—the Trump administration is the presidency. “Soon,” wrote Clover, gin and other Russian elites have often far more amenable to Dugin’s ideologi- “there were sponsors, contacts, and been enthusiastic.11 In this regard, it is cal goals than a Clinton administration open doors” for Dugin.15

12 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 Dugin was also reportedly a part of the dation who researches Russian soft pow- gence operations—such as cyber activ- entourage that accompanied Putin on er tactics in Bulgaria and other parts of ity—with overt efforts by Russian Gov- his visit to the Orthodox Christian holy Europe, said that her research has not ernment agencies, state-funded media, site Mt. Athos in Greece in May 2016.16 turned up any evidence of a significant third-party intermediaries, and paid But however personally close to Putin Russian effort to see Radev elected.20 social media users or ‘trolls’”—are likely Dugin may be, what should concern us Pro-Russian Moldovan President Igor to be applied “to future influence efforts most here is the spread of a “tradition- Dodon goes much further than Radev, worldwide, including against US allies alist” ideology that, following in the however. Dodon openly declares that and their election processes.”23 footsteps of early 20th Century fascism, he aspires to be “a dictatorial leader, the In light of what is now known about rejects liberal democracy and individual same as Putin,” and claims to have re- the Russian role in the U.S. election, it moral autonomy. Contemporary Eur- ceived the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of is very plausible that Russia’s influence asianism, like interwar Eurasianism Moscow and all Russia. Dodon achieved campaign played a key role in Trump’s and other Russian schools of thought a narrow electoral victory (initially con- Electoral College victory. The same type related to the 19th Century ideologies of tested with claims of voting irregulari- of Russian campaign appears to have Slavophilism and Pan-Slavism, posits a ties) over Western leaning rival Maia swung Georgia’s 2012 presidential elec- special destiny for Russia in uniting the Sandu. He’d campaigned on a platform tion, and there is no reason the same peoples of the large Eurasian landmass of moving to scrap Moldova’s EU asso- strategy cannot continue to effectively that runs roughly from the Baltic Sea to ciation agreement—over which Mos- undermine other countries’ democratic the Pacific Ocean, in addition to a mes- cow actually sanctioned Moldova in processes unless vigilance is exercised sianic role in the revival of Western civi- July 2014, banning the import of Mol- and countermeasures are taken.24 lization’s Christian roots.17 dovan wine, fruit, and vegetables—and Russian leaders perceive such actions In Putin’s third term in particular, integrating Moldova into the Moscow- as defensive. They push conspiracist Russia has positioned itself at the cen- centered Eurasian Economic Union. ideas about opposition to corruption ter of the right-wing international that Dodon’s campaign was rife with anti-im- and undemocratic policies in former So- propounds a “traditionalist” ideologi- migrant and homophobic rhetoric and viet republics such as Ukraine and Geor- cal tendency, and Dugin has emerged marked by widespread disinformation, gia being funded by liberal U.S. philan- as one of the broader movement’s lead- much like Donald Trump’s.21 thropist George Soros, who has of late ing ideologues. As recent reports from With respect to President Trump, the become a bugbear of Trump supporters NATO and Political Capital (a Hungarian U.S. intelligence community released a and the U.S. Right as well. The Russian think tank whose website describes it as report in January expressing high con- regime also rejects homegrown East Eu- “committed to the basic values of parlia- fidence that Russian President Vladimir ropean and post-Soviet efforts to pro- mentary democracy, human rights and Putin ordered an influence campaign tect universal human rights and work a market economy”) have documented, targeting the 2016 U.S. election that toward functional democracy as West- Eurasianist ideology not only informs was intended to undermine U.S. confi- ern imports. While Russia’s reactions to Russian foreign policy (such as Russia’s dence in the democratic process and to perceived Western aggression have been use of hybrid warfare, a military strategy damage Hillary Clinton’s prospects. The disproportionate and unjustifiable, the that entails cyber and covert operations, CIA and FBI also have high confidence West might have helped to stave off the including Russia’s use of troops without that in its effort, which involved hack- current state of affairs if its leaders had insignia in its invasion of Crimea and its ing both Republican and Democratic taken Russia’s concerns about NATO ex- officially-denied direct support for and targets but releasing damaging infor- pansion into consideration earlier. presence in the rebel campaigns against mation only about Democrats, Russia the Ukrainian state), but also holds “aspired to help President-elect Trump’s RUSSIAN SOFT POWER AND INFORMA- some attraction for Europeans disillu- election chances.” Statements made at TION WARFARE IN WESTERN EUROPE sioned with austerity, immigration, and recent Senate hearings have confirmed Hacking is one of the most powerful secularism.18 these findings, and on May 8, before the tactics the Kremlin uses to influence In light of the above, what are we to Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcom- other countries’ electoral processes, as make of Dugin’s claim that Russia has mittee on Crime and Terrorism, former the U.S. has been too slow to recognize. won Washington, Chișinău, and Sofia? Director of National Intelligence James Germany and the Organization for Se- It is certainly overstated with respect Clapper actually stated that the Rus- curity and Cooperation in Europe have to the latter. Bulgarian President Ru- sians behind the influence campaign been recent targets of Russian hacking men Radev has called for the easing of targeting the 2016 U.S. election “must according to Germany’s intelligence EU sanctions against Russia, but also be congratulating themselves for having services, and Germany has likewise ex- recently stated that he supports retain- exceeded their wildest expectations.”22 pressed concerns about disinformation ing Bulgaria’s membership in the EU In addition, the U.S. intelligence com- and possible hacking ahead of its parlia- and NATO, both of which Russia seeks munity reported in January that the mentary election slated for fall 2017.25 to weaken.19 Sabra Ayres, a fellow with same techniques that were used in this Hacking, however, is by no means the the International Women’s Media Foun- campaign—a blend of “covert intelli- only tactic Russia uses to gain influence

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 13 and sow disinformation in the West. In skepticism is homegrown. One might blematic of what is sometimes referred order to assess the outcomes of recent add that the situation is exacerbated by to as the “new ecumenism”: the coop- European elections and the prospects a refugee crisis due overwhelmingly to eration of distinct churches in pursuit of for upcoming European elections, we failed U.S. foreign policy in the Middle common goals.34 Another example may need to be aware of other methods of in- East. Nevertheless, Annichino streses, be found in the close ties between the fluence Russia employs. These include: Russia has proven capable of capitaliz- Russian Orthodox Church with tradi- ing effectively on the rising right-wing tionalist European Catholics cultivated • infiltration by spies; populist mood and exercises influence in particular by the ROC’s Chair of the • hiring Western PR firms (in the past among politically extreme European Department of External Church Rela- including Kissinger Associates and groups.31 tions, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), Ketchum) to help manipulate Western Annicchino has also done some of the who regularly meets with Catholic car- media and improve the Kremlin’s repu- most interesting research on how the dinals in Europe and has a particularly tation among Westerners;26 Russian Orthodox Church has helped intimate relationship with the Institute • supporting Eurasianist and pro-Krem- promote hardline conservatism in Eu- for Ecumenical Studies at Switzerland’s lin think tanks, such as the Dialogue of rope by making common cause with University of Fribourg, where he over- Civilizations Research Institute in Ber- traditionalists of other Christian confes- sees exchange programs.35 lin (which is funded through a founda- sions. Marcel Van Herpen, director of Meanwhile, Italy’s Far Right Northern tion headed by the Russian oligarchs the Cicero Foundation and author of Pu- League has made no secret of looking to Natalia Yakunina, the chairperson, tin’s Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russia not only as an economic partner, and Vladimir Yakunin, the vice-chair- Russian Foreign Policy, has shown that but also as a model for “the protection man);27 the Russian Foreign Ministry and Ortho- of the family.”36 It has created a cultural • establishing cultural centers at univer- dox Church often coordinate with the exchange program, the Lombardy-Rus- sities through the Russkiy Mir founda- goal of promoting a “traditional values” sia Cultural Association, which receives tion, which promotes not only benign agenda and attacking universal human funding from the Voice of Russia (since cultural exchange but also Eurasian- rights at the UN and in other interna- 2014 integrated into the publishing ist ideology and the Kremlin line on tional settings.32 empire Sputnik, an increasingly impor- Ukraine; One case Annicchino has studied, tant Russian propaganda outlet). The • financing Far Right Western politicians the Lautsi controversy at the European honorary president of the association and parties, such as Marine Le Pen’s Court of Human Rights, particularly il- is Alexey Komov, a right-wing advocate National Front in France;28 luminated this dynamic, when in 2011 with substantial ties to both U.S. and • promoting social conservatism and the supranational court overturned a Russian conservative coalitions, as the pro-Moscow views through representa- prior ruling that the compulsory display World Congress of Families’ regional tives of the Russian Orthodox Church; of crucifixes in Italian schools was a vio- representative for Russia and the Com- and lation of the European Convention on monwealth of Independent States; the • taking advantage of the West’s relative Human Rights. The legal expertise that Howard Center for Family, Religion and openness to flood the media with disin- secured the 2011 ruling—greeted by Society’s representative to the United formation through “troll armies” and conservatives as a triumph over secular- Nations; and a member of the Russian propaganda outlets such as RT, which ism—was largely derived from Ameri- Orthodox Church’s Patriarchal Commis- had a $380 million budget in 2011.29 can evangelicals and delivered through sion on the Family and the Protection of amicus curiae briefs filed by the Euro- Motherhood and Childhood.37 Russia has also played a role in facili- pean Center on Law and Justice—an or- The new ecumenism Annicchino de- tating relationships between right-wing ganization co-founded by U.S. Christian scribes also exemplifies what is -some European parties, for example with Right advocate Jay Alan Sekulow to serve times called “bad ecumenism”: that is, respect to the European Alliance for as a sister organization to his American interfaith activity designed to achieve Freedom, a coalition that seeks to un- Center on Law and Justice.33 Meanwhile, domination and undermine plural- dermine the EU and liberal norms in the Annicchino writes, “the Russian Ortho- ism rather than promote the common European Parliament.30 dox Church was at the forefront of the good. Such bad ecumenism has played Through all of these methods, Rus- diplomatic battle,” with major represen- no small part in ushering in the rise sia looks to capitalize on pre-existing tatives, including Patriarch Kirill, writ- of right-wing fellow travelers around weaknesses. Russia did not create dis- ing to the Vatican and to Italian Prime Moscow.38 The alliance of the Russian content with the neoliberal European Minister in support Orthodox Church with European and establishment, explains Italian legal of the original Italian law requiring the American Christian conservatives is just expert Pasquale Annicchino, a research display of crucifixes in public schools. one example of the means by which Rus- fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for In this manner, the Moscow Patriarch- sia cultivates the Western Far Right, but Advanced Studies and senior research ate courted favor with conservative Eu- it is an important one.39 associate at the Cambridge Institute on ropean Christians. Religion & International Studies; Euro- To Annicchino, the entire case is em-

14 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 RUSSIA, RIGHT-WING POPULISM, AND general election, since both Le Pen and that the forces of nationalism and right- THE EUROPEAN POLITICAL LANDSCAPE Fillon have pro-Russian views.42 wing populism are still powerful. At IN 2017 Of course, the contours of the French the same time, in an attempt to make In engaging in the kinds of activities election changed in ways that confound- herself more appealing during the cam- described above, the Russian Orthodox ed early forecasts. While Fillon’s pros- paign for the runoff, Le Pen announced Church pursues not only its own ends, pects receded, center-right En Marche! that she would temporarily step aside but helps to advance Russian influence party candidate Emmanuel Macron as leader of the National Front in order, in the West. With this context in mind, surged in the polls, overcame an initial ostensibly, to bring together the entire we can step back to consider what Rus- Russian propaganda campaign, and French people. She has since announced sian influence may mean in the current faced Le Pen in the May 7 runoff, com- that she will “recreate her National European political landscape. ing away with a resounding victory (just Front into a broader ‘patriotic’ party During the lead-up to the Dutch elec- over 66 percent of the vote), although that would seek power in parliamentary tion on March 15, the prospects for unusually low turnout for France (74 elections next month.”46 Perhaps this is Geert Wilders’ Far Right Party for Free- percent) indicated widespread dissatis- why, despite Le Pen’s espoused desire to dom (PVV) concerned many. While faction with both candidates. withdraw France from the EU and her Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s Center Well before the first round of the elec- post-election claim to represent “patri- Right People’s Party for Freedom and De- tion on April 23, French officials began ots” over “globalisation supporters,” mocracy (VVD) won with 21.3 percent of preparing for a Russian influence blitz U.S. White nationalist Richard Spencer the vote, the Labor Party (PvdA) suffered on behalf of Le Pen.43 Their foresight took to Twitter to whine that whatever considerable losses, and the PVV came proved wise, as France was subjected to emerges from the National Front will in second with 13.1 percent. While the a fake news onslaught in which Russian be most likely “become a cucky, GOP- Far Right populist bullet was dodged in propaganda outlets played a key role. like party.”47 Spencer also tweeted that the Netherlands, negotiations toward After Macron’s initial surge, Sputnik “we’ve seen the limits of the typical Eu- a governing coalition are ongoing, and published a claim that Macron is a clos- ro-Right nationalist parties,” suggesting the surge for Wilders’ PVV is concern- eted gay man with “a very rich gay lob- “a global political party for White peo- ing. by” behind him, and his campaign has ple” as one alternative going forward.48 But what of a Russian role? According also been targeted by hackers suspected As encouraging as the French results to Van Herpen, with respect to the Dutch of being part of a Russian influence cam- are, there is still cause for concern. Just general election, there was no real need paign.44 Yet this failed to keep Macron as defenders of Western institutions and for Moscow to do more than continue to out of the runoff, and an eleventh-hour norms may learn from what happened produce propaganda and disinforma- assault of leaked documents and disin- in France, so may purveyors of disinfor- tion.40 Wilders cannot be openly pro- formation also failed to prevent Macron mation, including the Russian govern- Russian due to anti-Russian sentiment from winning in a landslide as projected ment. Russia will surely pull out all the in the Netherlands related to the shoot- by the polls. stops to influence the German federal ing down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 A notable lesson from the election is election scheduled for September 24, by Russia-backed separatists in Donbas that France seems comparatively well 2017. As Van Herpen argues, “Because using the Russian Buk missile system, inoculated against the toxic effects of Merkel is the last powerful defender of and the Kremlin also knows that it must fake news, both institutionally and cul- the EU and of sanctions against Russia, not appear to be too cozy with Wilders turally. For example, France enforces the Kremlin will do its utmost best to if it wants to see his party succeed.41 As a blackout on election coverage in the remove her by influencing the election a Euroskeptic party, however, PVV’s 44-hour period leading up to a presiden- process by disinformation and, even- relative success is a threat to the EU. tial election, which in this case limited tually, hacking.”49 Van Herpen’s book The Dutch vote against approval of the the impact of the last-minute document also notes the considerable affinity for Ukraine-European Union Association dump meant to harm Macron’s candida- Russia across the German political spec- Agreement in April 2016 is also relevant cy. The French-language edition of Sput- trum, including in Germany’s Social context. nik covered the leaks, but the French Democratic Party (SPD) as well as among Meanwhile, the French election repre- public collectively shrugged. Culturally, right-wing nationalist forces, such as sented a high stakes test for the viability as Johan Hufnagel, managing editor of Alternative for Germany (AfD).50 Former of the European Union and the post-war the left-wing newspaper Libération, re- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder order. When I interviewed Van Herpen cently stated, “We don’t have a has a warm personal relationship with in January, the race was expected to in France,” adding that French voters Putin, and Russian soft power has a sig- come down to a contest between Marine “were mentally prepared after Trump nificant presence in Germany, including Le Pen and François Fillon of the center- and Brexit and the Russians.”45 through the Kremlin-backed think tank right Republicans. Moscow’s affinity for Of course, Le Pen’s nearly 34 percent Dialogue of Civilizations in Berlin, one Le Pen, leader of the far Right National of the French vote, an unprecedented of the founders of which was Russian Front, has been evident for some time, result for the National Front, is noth- oligarch Vladimir Yakunin. Should the but Van Herpen noted that Russia could ing to sneeze at, and defenders of hu- German political landscape shift enough “wait and see” with respect to the French man rights must take it as a reminder to remove Chancellor Angela Merkel’s

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 15 Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from Authorization Act, which provided for scholarly research, and technology, the next governing coalition, this will the creation of a Global Engagement to consider approaches to countering likely result in a Germany more willing Center “to lead, synchronize, and co- Russian disinformation, influence, and to support Russian interests at the ex- ordinate efforts of the Federal Govern- support for far-right extremism in Eu- pense of robust support for democratic ment to recognize, understand, expose, rope. I participated in the last of these norms and supranational institutions. and counter foreign state and non-state discussions, in December 2016, and the In a very real sense, then, Angela Merkel propaganda and disinformation efforts mood in the wake of Trump’s dubious may be said to be the current leader of aimed at undermining United States win was far from cheery. Although pro- the free world—the United States under national security interests.”55 Under posed solutions involve both private and Trump has certainly abdicated the right Trump, we cannot expect much good to public actors and institutions, we par- to make any such claim for the Ameri- come from any efforts that might begin ticipants were all clearly aware that the can president—and Merkel’s removal under the aegis of this Center; even if in results of the U.S. election would make from office would, at best, lead - toin light of recent developments Trump has the task much more difficult. Neverthe- creased destabilization and uncertainty become more cautious about his repeat- less, there are steps that can be taken. for the EU’s future. edly stated goal of improving relations As Hooper later explained to me: with Russia, he is unlikely to go out of We hope to act as a convener of civil THE TRUMP FACTOR: WHY THE 2016 his way to counter Russian propaganda. society, so that with a unified voice U.S. ELECTION BODES ILL FOR EUROPE In addition, on May 9, 2017, Trump sent we can help technology companies At this point we may be disposed to shockwaves through the U.S. by firing identify where they are contribut- ask the best known of the Russian “ac- FBI Director James Comey in what ap- ing to threats rather than reducing cursed questions”: what is to be done?51 pears to be an attempt to shut down the them—in the areas of disinformation Coming on the heels of the UK’s Brexit FBI’s investigation into the Trump cam- and publication of false stories, per- vote, Trump’s dubious, undemocratic, paign’s ties to Russia and possible crimi- sonal safety of rights workers, and the and quasi-covertly Russia-backed elec- nal activities (although the nominal proliferation of hate speech targeting tion to the U.S. presidency has certainly reason provided by the Trump adminis- minority groups. And we hope we can changed the picture relative to the Eu- tration has to do with Comey’s handling then partner with companies to make ropean political landscape.52 America’s of the Hillary Clinton email case). sure their responses and proposed European allies have reason to be un- Melissa Hooper, Director of Human solutions are comprehensive, acces- certain about the new administration’s Rights and Civil Society at the Washing- sible, and effective.58 willingness to honor Article 5 of NATO’s ton- and New York-based nonprofit Hu- For his part, Van Herpen supports charter, which provides for collective man Rights First, had been among those debunking Russian disinformation and defense, with an attack against one ally hoping for a robust U.S. response to Rus- creating counter-narratives that can considered an attack against all. In the sian influence after the 2016 election. prove attractive. He points to the web- aftermath of the U.S. election, Britain Hooper previously worked with NGOs site StopFake.org, which was founded was reportedly so concerned about the through the ABA Initiative at Kyiv’s Mohyla University and which possibility that Moscow holds com- as director for Russia and Azerbaijan. is devoted to debunking Russian dis- promising material on Trump that it While based in Russia, Hooper became information relative to the hybrid war “sought reassurance from the CIA that increasingly dismayed at the negative in Ukraine. Van Herpen also believes the identity of British agents in Russia impact of the illiberal legislative efforts that Western governments should im- will be protected when intelligence is of Putin’s third term, including the 2012 pose stricter standards on Russian me- shared.”53 Israel’s intelligence services “foreign agents” law that requires in- dia produced for Western consumption reportedly expressed similar concerns dependent groups that engage in any and that Western states should invest that information shared with the United “political activity” to register as “foreign in Russian-language media. With Bre- States might be passed to Moscow.54 The agents” if they receive any funding from itbart planning to expand to Germany departure of Flynn from the Trump ad- sources outside Russia.56 Having no- and France, Europe may soon be facing ministration and the open disagreement ticed Russia’s influence on the spread of an onslaught of disinformation not only between the United States and Russia illiberalism in Europe—for example, in from Russia, but also from the United over Syria may have gone some way to Hungary under Orbán—Hooper came to States.59 assuage these concerns, but it is clear Human Right First with concerns about that serious questions remain about the possibility of counteracting this “DRAINING THE SWAMP” OF WESTERN Russian influence on Trump himself. trend.57 LIBERALISM: A RUSSIAN-AMERICAN Not too long ago, human rights ad- With funding from the Jackson Foun- ENTERPRISE? vocates held out hope that the United dation, she organized a series of informal In light of Trump’s election and the po- States might be able to aid our European policy discussions throughout 2016—at tential expansion of Breitbart into Euro- allies in pushing back against disinfor- Columbia University, Stanford Univer- pean markets, Europe now faces a dual mation and influence campaigns from sity, and Human Rights First’s Washing- Russian-American onslaught of right- the Kremlin. On December 23, 2016, ton, D.C., location—with experts from wing populist disinformation and fake Congress passed the National Defense fields including advocacy, journalism, news, sure to be backed up in cyberspace

16 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 by Russian and American trolls and supervisory board’s president is none of our faith, a crisis of the West, a crisis bots. The U.S. election results confirm other than Konstantin Malofeev.64 For of capitalism.” He predicted that “we’re that the power of media manipulation Dugin, “draining the swamp” has much at the very beginning stages of a very and post-truth politics to erode liberal more to do with a desire to wage extrem- brutal and bloody conflict” in which democratic norms must not be under- ist culture wars than it does with root- the “church militant” will have to play a estimated. And it is significant that far- ing out political corruption (something role, lest modern “barbarity” “eradicate right Russian and American ideologues that U.S. columnist Amanda Marcotte everything that we’ve been bequeathed have already been collaborating in me- argues was also the implicit promise to over the last 2,000, 2,500 years.”67 dia manipulation for some time. Trump supporters all along).65 Dugin and Bannon would undoubted- The neo-Eurasianist ideologue quoted On November 14, 2016, Katehon pub- ly disagree on certain matters regarding at the beginning of this article, Alexan- lished Dugin’s essay, “Donald Trump: capitalism and Islam. Because Russia is der Dugin, has become a beloved com- The Swamp and the Fire,” along with home to large Muslim populations of dif- rade of America’s neonazis, White na- an illustration featuring European po- ferent ethnic backgrounds, and the Rus- tionalists, and Christian nationalists. litical leaders, including Angela Merkel sian state mobilizes Muslim leadership Dugin has, for example, given a lecture and François Hollande, caricatured as to pursue its traditional values agenda at Texas A&M University at the invita- swamp creatures. Dugin’s essay opens domestically—just as it does leaders tion of Preston Wiginton (delivered via with this pronouncement: of the Russian Orthodox Church and Skype because sanctions prevented him “The Swamp” is to become the new other faiths—Russia cannot overtly sup- from traveling to the U.S.).60 Less well name for the globalist sect, the open port wholesale Islamophobia, despite known, however, is that as a regular society adepts, LGBT maniacs, Soros’ frequent ethnic Russian opposition to presence on the Russian outlet Tsargrad army, the post-humanists, and so on. the construction of new mosques. Nev- TV, Dugin has interviewed American Draining the Swamp is not only cat- ertheless, both Dugin and Banon call conspiracist purveyor of fake news Alex egorically imperative for America. for a violent international fight against Jones, of Infowars infamy. Tsargrad TV It is a global challenge for all of us. secularism and liberalism. It also is not was founded by “God’s oligarch” Kon- Today, every people is under the rule clear precisely how and in what manner stantin Malofeev, and it employs former of its own Swamp. We, all together, President Trump may change U.S.-Rus- FOX News producer Jack Hanick, who, should start the fight against the Rus- sian relations, as he has received some along with his family, recently convert- sian Swamp, the French Swamp, the pushback on his foreign policy agenda, ed to Russian Orthodoxy.61 German Swamp, and so on. We need and has upset the Russian political es- In a segment from the program “Our to purge our societies of the Swamp’s tablishment with his actions in Syria. Point of View” (Nasha tochka zreniia) up- influence. It is clear, however, that many Russian loaded to YouTube by the official Tsar- Dugin goes on to claim that “anti- and American conservative leaders and grad TV account on December 20, 2016, Americanism is over” thanks to the ideologues continue to see potential for Dugin tells Jones “there is a political election of Trump, and to call for “a Russian-American global collaboration elite that is organizing a color revolu- Nuremberg trial for liberalism, the last in the right-wing international in pur- tion against us.” Referring to this elite totalitarian political ideology of Moder- suit of Far Right ends. Let us hope that as “the global dictatorship,” Dugin adds nity.” Once representing the “apoca- European governments and interna- “Clinton, Soros, the Obama Adminis- lyptical monsters” of capitalism and tional institutions—and, more broadly, tration—that which is called the Deep Communism, Russia and America, in democratic norms and universal human State, will also organize a color revo- Dugin’s view, now represent “two escha- rights—will ultimately prevail against lution against Trump, not wanting to tological promises”—that is, in Dugin’s the onslaught. recognize the democratic victory of the understanding of “traditionalism,” an American people.” He added, “We need illiberal Russia and America working Christopher Stroop (@C_Stroop) earned to think about how all of us together— to destroy liberalism would bring the a Ph.D. in Russian history and Interdis- Americans, Russians, Europeans—what world into better alignment with God’s ciplinary Studies in the Humanities from 62 66 we can do to oppose this elite.” Jones ostensible plans for humanity. Stanford University in 2012. Currently a agreed with Dugin’s call to oppose “glo- Like Dugin, Trump’s chief strategist, visiting instructor in the Honors College balism,” asserting it is a matter of “sur- , is given to violent rheto- at the University of South Florida, Stroop 63 vival.” ric. In a 2014 speech he gave via Skype is also a senior research associate with With this context in mind, we can re- for a conference held at the Vatican, the Postsecular Conflicts Project (Kristina turn to Dugin’s words quoted at the be- Bannon bizarrely and inaccurately de- Stoeckl, Principal Investigator), University ginning of this article: “It remains but scribed World War II as a war of “the of Innsbruck, Austria. Stroop’s blog Not to drain the swamp in Russia itself.” Judeo-Christian West versus atheists,” Your Mission Field can be found at Chris- There’s no need to guess Dugin’s mean- which led to the relatively benign Pax Stroop.com. ing, since he’s told us himself—and in Americana. Bannon added that, since English, no less—on the site of Kate- the end of the Cold War, both sides face hon, a Eurasianist “think tank” whose “a crisis both [sic] of our church, a crisis

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 17 BY MATTHEW N. LYONS

Populism’s Moment Review of John B. Judis’s, The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics (New York: Columbia Global Reports, 2016)

opulist upsurges can be hard populism, Judis draws an elegant con- and Spain’s Podemos have enjoyed dis- to predict. At the beginning of ceptual distinction: proportionate youth support. 2016, not many people expected Leftwing populists champion the In a compact book of 182 pages, Judis Donald Trump to win the Repub- people against an elite or an estab- engagingly sketches out the historical Plican nomination, let alone the presi- lishment…Rightwing populists cham- roots of today’s seemingly sudden and dency, nor Bernie Sanders to give Hill- pion the people against an elite that unpredictable populist initiatives. Judis ary Clinton such strong competition in they accuse of coddling a third group, makes clear that Trump’s recent posi- the Democratic primaries. Europe has which can consist, for instance, of im- tions both can be traced back to populist seen comparable surprises in recent migrants, Islamists, or African Amer- antecedents in Buchanan and Wallace years: the sudden rise of Left-populist ican militants. Leftwing populism is and also reflect ideas he’s voiced consis- parties Syriza in Greece and Podemos dyadic. Rightwing populism is triadic. tently for decades (belying the criticism in Spain, a near victory of the right- It looks upward, but also down upon that he doesn’t believe in anything but wing populist Freedom Party candidate an out group. his own importance). in Austria’s 2016 presidential election, That dynamic played out in the 2016 Populist politics evolve, too. In Eu- and the upset win for Brexit in Britain’s presidential campaign, as both Sanders rope, Judis notes, several right-wing June 2016 referendum, in which the and Trump criticized the political and populist parties (including UKIP and Right-populist UK Independence Party economic establishment for pursuing France’s National Front) started as lais- played a key role. policies that replaced well-paid manu- sez-faire advocates for small business- The Populist Explosion by John B. Judis facturing jobs with low-wage jobs over- people and farmers, but later adopted is a tightly framed analysis of populism’s seas. But “unlike Trump and his sup- more social democratic economic poli- recent advances on both sides of the At- porters,” Judis writes, “[Sanders] didn’t cies. This shift, coupled with anti-im- lantic. Judis relates this international blame unauthorized immigrants for migrant scapegoating, enabled the par- upsurge to the Great Recession that be- the plight of American workers or seek ties to attract many working-class voters gan in 2008 but also to the neoliberal to end terrorism by banning Muslims who had previously supported the Left. economic policies that have prevailed from coming into the country. He was The National Front, which Judis calls in both western Europe and the United entirely focused…on combating the ‘bil- “Europe’s most important rightwing States since the 1970s or ‘80s: cut- lionaire class.’” populist party,” has taken this further. ting social spending, weakening labor Populist movements of either flavor Party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen was an unions, deregulating business, reduc- may gain momentum because people antisemite and Vichy government sym- ing corporate taxes as well as barriers don’t feel represented by the conven- pathizer, but his daughter Marine Le to the movement of capital and workers tional options. But the two sides have Pen, who replaced him as party leader across international boundaries. At the different electoral bases. in 2011, has repudiated these positions, same time, Judis traces populist politics Judis recalls sociologist Donald I. banned skinheads from National Front back historically: in Europe to right- Warren’s “middle American radicals” rallies, welcomed LGBTQ people as top wing anti-tax parties of the ‘70s, and (“MARs”)—often blue-collar men who advisors, and toned down the party’s in the United States to the left-leaning supported New Deal programs but were anti-Muslim rhetoric. People’s Party of the 1890s. His U.S. conservative on issues related to poverty Judis also effectively describes some historical narrative takes in Huey Long’s and race, and who regarded the middle of the dynamics by which U.S. populist Share Our Wealth Society in the 1930s; class as under attack from above and movements have influenced conven- the presidential campaigns of George below—as the key voting bloc that has tional political actors. For example, fear Wallace in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and of Ross supported U.S. right-wing populists of Huey Long’s Share Our Wealth move- Perot and Pat Buchanan in the ‘90s; and from Wallace to Buchanan to Trump. ment helped inspire President Franklin the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street Conversely, Judis notes that Sanders’s Roosevelt’s move to address economic movements of the recent Great Reces- strongest support was among young inequality in the New Deal. George sion era. people, “the descendants of the McGov- Wallace’s skillful use of coded racism— Between these various expressions of ern generation,” just as Greece’s Syriza framed as opposition to federal inter-

18 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 BY MATTHEW N. LYONS ference— inspired Republicans to copy candidacies. Speaking more broadly, “point to genuine problems.” Judis tells elements of his approach and thereby the dynamic tension between those pop- us that desegregation busing really was attract many of his “middle American ulist currents that accept the existing “self-defeating” because it caused White radical” supporters. political system and those that reject it flight to the suburbs, that unskilled im- That today’s populist upsurge is large- has often had a significant impact, but migrants have indeed “tended to pull ly a reaction to neoliberalism is hardly has no place in Judis’s discussion. (The down wages and burden the public sec- a new idea, but Judis presents it suc- Alt Right’s symbiotic relationship with tor,” and that France’s immigrant un- cinctly and clearly. I especially appreci- Trump’s presidential campaign offers a derclass really is “a seedbed for political ate his repeated reminders that neolib- recent example.) extremism and terrorism.” Judis offers eral policies have been laid down and With regard to Western Europe, Judis these concessions without evidence, implemented not just by Republicans makes passing mention of Beppe Grillo’s as if they’re simple statements of fact, but also Democrats, not just European eclectic anti-establishment Five Star when at best they’re questionable claims conservatives but also social democratic Movement in Italy but ignores several scholars are actively debating. Judis parties. Business tax cuts and deregula- other important Italian parties with at also fails to mention the many Muslim tion started under Carter, not Reagan. least important populist tendencies, no- refugees to Europe who are themselves Obama’s refusal to challenge Wall Street tably Silvio Berlusconi’s , the fleeing terrorism and war, or the many in the face of the worst financial crisis regionalist Lega Nord, and the “post-fas- immigrants who have injected new mili- since the 1930s “left a political vacuum cist” Alleanza Nazionale, whose 1994 tancy into the U.S. labor movement. It’s that was filled by the angry right.” See- coalition put a party directly descended odd that Judis plays into victim-blaming ing Socialist François Hollande aban- from Mussolini’s Black Shirts in power in this way, since his argument would don promises and impose “austerity” for the first time since 1945. Discussion work just as well if he framed these measures helped persuade many French of Forza Italia could be especially fruitful “problems” as widely perceived rather workers to back the National Front in- since, as Judis himself notes, Berlusconi than declaring them genuine. stead. is in many ways Donald Trump’s closest Judis can hardly be faulted for failing But Judis’s succinct approach leaves European counterpart. It’s perfectly rea- to predict Trump’s victory in November, out many examples of populism that sonable for Judis to limit the scope of his and for suggesting that the candidate’s don’t fit neatly into his chosen - frame discussion, but a clearer explanation of “casual bigotry” and “impromptu as- work. Since the 1970s the Christian how and why he did so would have been saults” on Clinton would likely bring Right has mobilized popular support helpful. about his own defeat. But since Trump and built an extensive organizational Judis’s contextual framework for ex- did win, Judis’s model of populism im- network largely around fears of an elit- plaining populism’s rise is also too nar- plies a prediction: whether President ist “secular humanist conspiracy.” The row. Neoliberal economic policies are Trump achieves any of his campaign movement’s majority quickly positioned important, but they exist in relation to objectives or not, he will probably not itself as a more or less stable faction a number of other developments of the be able to maintain his role as a popu- within the Republican Party, confound- past half-century, particularly the lim- list politician, as someone who puts ing Judis’s assertion that populist move- ited but important gains won by popular forth demands the establishment is ments tend to dissipate or slide into movements against racial oppression, unlikely to concede. His administra- conventional politics once they achieve patriarchy, and heterosexism. Neolib- tion will instead morph into a conven- power. Meanwhile, contra his claim that eralism isn’t just a set of policies but tional one based on bargaining among U.S. and western European populists also a strategy for social control, and in political interest groups. This is in fact have embraced “democracy” and elec- many expressions has embraced a tepid where things seem to be heading given toral politics, a hardline but influential multiculturalism—largely to coopt and the number of generals and billionaires minority of Christian Rightists wants to defuse anti-oppression struggles. This Trump has picked for his team and his replace the U.S. political system with a feeds right-wing populist claims that recent moves toward a conventional for- full-blown theocracy. Similarly, the Pa- grassroots challenges to social hierarchy eign policy, but if he can keep his popu- triot movement has warned since the are abetted or orchestrated by elites. Ju- lar base mobilized Trump may still find 1990s that globalist elites are plotting to dis notes Trump’s bigotry toward Mexi- ways to keep the establishment off bal- impose a dictatorship on the U.S. It has cans, Muslims, and women but doesn’t ance and on the defensive. Either out- never embraced the electoral process but explore its larger significance: that, like come is cold comfort to the “out groups” instead has arrogated to itself govern- Wallace, Buchanan or the Tea Party, who will bear the brunt of his policies. mental powers such as judicial author- Trump speaks to millions who see their ity and the right to form military units. relative social privilege under attack Matthew N. Lyons is an independent schol- The Patriot movement shared a number from below, in ways that go far beyond ar who studies right-wing politics, social of themes with Pat Buchanan’s 1992 economic policy. movements, and systems of oppression. He and 1996 presidential campaigns, but The one place where I take strong blogs at Three Way Fight and is co-author Judis doesn’t mention it, which makes exception to Judis’s book is when he with Chip Berlet of Right-Wing Populism it harder for readers to understand the asserts that right-wing populist com- in America (Guilford, 2000). insurgent undertones of Buchanan’s plaints, even racist or nativist ones,

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 19 Commentary, continued from page 3 dramatic expansion of inequality in the The historical expansion of the cat- lar relevance, this iteration of the Klan U.S. taking place at the same time as egory of “White” to include the descen- explicitly targeted Catholics and Jews the economic decline of the “heartland” dants of devalued European groups up- as threatening racial “others,”9 drawing means that this shift in numerical ma- dated and maintained the White-Black clear and uncompromising boundaries jority status is occurring in the context bifurcation at the core of U.S. racial hi- around who counted as a White Ameri- of status loss across multiple dimen- erarchies. There is some evidence that a can. It included a wide range of mem- sions for Whites most accustomed to similar process may be underway today bers who would not have endorsed the living in homogenous, White-majority with some Asian and Latinx groups, al- violence perpetrated by some within the contexts. The Obama administration though in ways that currently point to an national network, but who nonetheless added a symbolic threat of increasing “off-White” status in which some Latinx embraced a platform of nativism, White Black power and visibility while con- and Asian populations look increasingly Protestant supremacy, and both moral tinuing the neoliberal policies that have similar to Whites in income and educa- and economic conservatism.10 The KKK eroded the employment, education, and tion.7 An analysis of the expansion of functioned in many ways as an ordi- housing advantages given to Whites, Whiteness addresses the societal level, nary fraternal order, with special social especially men—sometimes called the not the experiences, negotiations, and events and women’s and children’s aux- “wages of Whiteness”—for non-elite conflicts that occur as the process- un iliaries. This effectively normalized the Whites relative to both those above and folds. It also does not consider how the expression of White supremacy com- those below. process may affect non-elite Whites who bined with conservative moralism as no different than any other social organiza- tion.11 There are strong analogies here The right-wing resurgence did not begin with the populist to the ways conservative movements to- day, including the Tea Party and conser- nationalism that elected Trump, and is unlikely to end in four vative Christianity, have normalized and years regardless of who wins the 2018 and 2020 elections. spread a potent combination of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia with Network and other By contrast, Whites in the large urban consider themselves the White Ameri- media outlets serving as bridges to the areas that consistently voted for Clin- can norm even as their social ground is Alt Right and the Trump campaign. ton in November have largely become shifting culturally and economically. Unlike the KKK, Prohibition is not accustomed to contexts that combine The wave of reformist and right-wing usually considered in connection with White supremacy with numerical mi- movements of 1920s and ‘30s, particu- racial boundary enforcement or Far nority status. For example, Whites are larly Prohibition and the second wave Right movements. Popular history only 48.7 percent of the population in of the KKK, were a White, middle class, and imagery largely associate Prohibi- the Chicago metropolitan area but have Protestant backlash against the growing tion with flappers, jazz, gangsters, the a median household income of $71,927, power and assimilation of Southern and Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which is more than double the median Eastern European immigrants, raising and the desire to “clean up” urban life Black household income.4 Similarly, questions about what might be learned in the early 20th Century. While those in the metro area, Whites from this period in relation to today’s dy- were all elements, the historical reality account for 41.7 percent of the popu- namics. of Prohibition embodied the era’s deep lation, and their median household The second wave of the KKK differed conflicts over national identity, power, income is 78 percent higher than the from the first, Reconstruction-era Klan, and social dominance.12 The movement median Black household.5 In these and as well as the later Civil Rights-era Klan, for Prohibition was an assertion of tra- other large cities, Whites experience in significant ways that are relevant ditional White, Protestant dominance racial and cultural diversity without to thinking about the contemporary over the “degenerate” ways—and grow- significant loss of economic and politi- Far Right. The Klan of the 1920s was a ing prominence—of Catholic and Jew- cal power, reducing or eliminating the mainstream, national fraternal organi- ish immigrants, and to a lesser extent identity and status threat of racial diver- zation which openly espoused White su- African Americans. Enforcement of the sity. The lived experience of diversity premacy and engaged in racist terrorism law reflected this not only in the- dif without relative status loss may provide but whose primary activities involved a ferential targeting of working class im- a form of perverse protection against range of community projects of interest migrants and African Americans, but Trumpist xenophobia and racism, par- to its middle class membership, from in the active role played by organized ticularly in contrast to the experience of social events (e.g. pageants and baseball community vigilante groups, including economic anxiety without comparative teams) to support for Prohibition.8 They the KKK. The repeal of Prohibition un- context; the “deaths of despair”6 among combined racism and xenophobia with der President Franklin Delano Roosevelt White working and middle classes in a generalized conservative Protestant was part of the realignment of national heartland communities result from ex- moralism concerned with opposition political processes associated with the istential loss, not direct and objective to birth control, the teaching of evolu- New Deal,13 bringing the largely immi- comparison. tion, and drinking alcohol. Of particu- grant, urban, industrial working class

20 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 into a political coalition that implement- One of the important lessons to be servative Democrat positioned as “any- ed progressive social welfare policies in learned from the 1920s and ‘30s is to one but Trump” in 2020. For example, part through the deliberate exclusion of be wary of alternative social contracts Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New African Americans.14 It took the upris- that have genuinely progressive ele- York, is a with ings of the Civil Rights movement before ments while maintaining authoritarian a strong neoliberal track record and African Americans were incorporated structures and White supremacy. The marked hostility towards both unions into the New Deal. enforcement of Prohibition led to a sig- and low-income communities in New The contemporary concentration of nificant expansion of policing and penal York City who shows signs of national opiate use among native-born, non- systems in the U.S., creating the core ambitions. His highly touted new Ex- urban Whites has discouraged punitive structures of the current federal law en- celsior scholarship program offers free substance control policy, but in other forcement and prison systems.16 The first tuition at NY public colleges for middle ways the current moment has some so- federal drug-control laws were passed class families, but the actual design of ciopolitical analogies to 100 years ago. in 1909 (the Opium Exclusion Act) and the program does not cover the major- This is also a time of extreme inequal- 1914 (the Harrison Act), but national en- ity of students’ expenses yet requires a ity, a second Gilded Age, and a period of forcement accelerated significantly after schedule that will make work and family consolidation of changes in the structure the repeal of Prohibition when the fun- responsibilities difficult to maintain. of capitalism. The early 20th Century damentally racist institutional enforce- If history is a guide, the hallmarks solidified an industrial economy while ment infrastructure reoriented towards of a re-inscription of Whiteness would the current period has seen a shift to fi- drug control.17 The New Deal instituted benefit the middle class in a significant nancialization; each of these transitions a set of economically progressive poli- way while leaving out the urban poor, came with significant technological de- cies but did so through the consolidation particularly the non-White poor. Pos- velopment and change. The early 20th of an alliance that brought together the sibilities include a Medicare buy-in or Century was also the last time the U.S. European immigrant, industrial work- other form of health insurance support had a high proportion of immigrants ing class with non-urban, native-born that helps the middle class while being concentrated in major cities, with asso- Whites, including the southern power too expensive for the working poor; the ciated demographic and cultural shifts. structure, while explicitly excluding Af- expansion of a DACA-like program but Importantly, these economic and social rican Americans.18 The coalitions that in with elements that enhance criminaliza- changes led to both subjective and ob- 1933 simultaneously ended Prohibition tion of the undocumented as a whole; jective loss of status among middle class and brought in the New Deal enacted or perhaps restrictions on immigration and small-landholder Whites outside of some progressive change, but only at the overall that don’t focus on terrorism but large cities,15 although there does not expense of African Americans and other enhance the polarization between “valu- appear to have been the same depth of non-Whites, who remained marginal- able” and “criminal” immigrants. social and economic threat experienced in those communities today. In both eras, the response among na- The expansion of Whiteness intrinsically involves the tive born “heartland” Whites has been re-inscription of Blackness. a mainstreaming and normalization of explicitly racist, xenophobic, and vio- lent right-wing perspectives. The Far ized while Catholics and even Jews were It is vital to remember that the expan- Right has gained more power today than increasingly incorporated into White- sion of Whiteness intrinsically involves in the past, with Trump’s ascendancy to ness. the simultaneous re-inscription, and the White House and the installation These historical examples suggest the perhaps expansion, of Blackness. It will of Hard Right movement figures such potential for a political response, per- be necessary to break the historical rac- as Steve Bannon and Mike Pence in the haps by the Democratic Party or a popu- ist alliance between elite and non-elite executive branch. The conflation of list movement less racist than Trump- Whites that lies at the core of the current Muslims and “terrorism” fuses religion, ism, which offers some economic relief situation, and to do it before new groups ethnicity and politics at an even deeper but re-inscribes White supremacy by are inducted into the edges of the privi- level than earlier accusations of Jewish bringing together U.S. born Whites and leged circle. communism, with similar connotations selected immigrant groups. The 2016 19 of international “infiltration” and threat. exit polls show the seeds of this in a Naomi Braine is an Associate Professor The right-wing resurgence did not begin right-wing direction, with 29 percent in the Sociology Department at Brooklyn with the populist nationalism that elect- of both Latinxs and Asians voting for College, CUNY, and a lifelong activist in ed Trump, and is unlikely to end in four Trump. These data fit with the economic struggles for social justice. Her political years regardless of who wins the 2018 and social stratification among immi- and intellectual work has addressed mass and 2020 elections. The second wave of grants that would enable a re-inscription incarceration, the “War on Drugs”/drug the KKK went from 1915 until the late of the boundaries of both Whiteness and policy, HIV and collective action, and, 20 ‘20s, and Prohibition lasted from 1920 Blackness, and could be harnessed more recently, the “War on Terror.” to ‘33. even more effectively perhaps by a con-

SPRING 2017 Political Research Associates • 21 endnotes

Trumpism and the Unstable Ground of January/February 2004, http://www.moth- is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ program-area. Whiteness, p. 3 erjones.com/politics/2004/01/grover- watch?v=46X8ClRmDvg. 37. JFA Institute, American Civil Liberties norquist-soul-new-machine. 21. Newt Gingrich and Pat Nolan, “Prison Union, et. al., Ending Mass Incarceration, 1. Naomi Braine, “The Public Health Story 4. For a useful introduction to neoliberal- Reform: A Smart Way for States to Save 3–5. Behind Trump’s Rise,” Political Research ism and austerity, see Jean Hardisty, “The Money and Lives,” Washington Post, Janu- 38. Kay Whitlock, “Community Correc- Associates, December 1, 2016, http:// Gloves are Off for the Right’s Chamber of ary 7, 2011, http://www.washingtonpost. tions: Profiteering, Corruption, and -Wid www.politicalresearch.org/2016/12/01/ Commerce Wing,” The Public Eye, Fall, com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/06/ ening the Net,” Truthout, November 20, the-public-health-story-behind-trumps- 2014, Political Research Associates, http:// AR2011010604386.html. 2014, http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/ rise/. Sir Angus Deaton and Anne Case, www.politicalresearch.org/2014/10/07/ 22. “NAACP Report Says Shift in Fund- item/27555-community-corrections-profi- “Mortality and morbidity in the 21st centu- from-the-new-right-to-neoliberalism-the- ing Toward Prisons ‘Failing Us,’” April teering-corruption-and-widening-the-net. ry.” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, threat-to-democracy-has-grown/. 7, 2011, PBS Newshour website at http:// See also American Friends Service Com- Conference Drafts March 23-4 2017. 5. Peter Wagner and Bernadette Rabuy, www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/social_issues- mittee, Grassroots Leadership, and South- 2. Rory McVeigh, “Structural Incentives for “Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2017,” jan-june11-incarceration_04-07/. ern Center for Human Rights, Treatment Conservative Mobilization: Power Devalua- March 14, 2017, Prison Policy Initiative, 23. “Spring 2011 Policy Update,” Grant- Industrial Complex: How For-Profit Prison tion and the Rise of the Ku Klux Klan, 1915- https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/ makers Concerned with Immigrants and Corporations are Undermining Efforts to Treat 25.” Social Forces, June 1999, 77(4). pie2017.html. Refugees, 2011,https://www.gcir.org/ and Rehabilitate Prisoners for Corporate Gain, 3. Karen Brodkin, How Jews Became White 6. Peter Wagner, “Are Private Prisons Driv- publications/gcirpubs/2011_policy_up- November 17, 2014, https://www.afsc.org/ Folks and What That Says About Race in ing Mass Incarceration?” Prison Policy date. See also Mark Gunther, “Round Up document/treatment-industrial-complex- America. (New Brunswick: Rutgers Univer- Initiative, October 7, 2015, https://www. the Usual Suspects: The MacArthur Foun- how-profit-prison-corporations-are-under- sity Press, 1999). prisonpolicy.org/blog/2015/10/07/pri- dation’s Big Climate Bet,” Medium, Sep- mining-efforts-treat-a. 4. American Community Survey, 2015 vate_prisons_parasite/. tember 2, 2015, https://medium.com/@ 39. Nick Wing, “How a State Bail Re- http://www.census.gov/data.html. 7. Danielle Kaeble and Thomas P. Bonczar, marcgunther/the-usual-suspects-the- form Measure Lost the Support of Bail 5. American Community Survey, 2015 “Probation and Parole in the United States, macarthur-foundation-s-big-climate-bet- Reformers,” Huffington Post, October http://www.census.gov/data.html. 2015,” Bureau of Justice Statistics, Decem- c3a2327fc23d. 31, 2016, http://www.huffingtonpost. 6. Sir Angus Deaton and Anne Case, “Mor- ber 21, 2016, http://www.bjs.gov/index. 24. Frederick Clarkson, “Anti-Abortion com/entry/new-mexico-bail-reform_ tality and morbidity in the 21st century.” cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=5784. -affiliatedfer- Strategy in the Age of Obama,” Politi- us_580a7885e4b0cdea3d8784e5. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Con- ence in which liberal organizations joined cal Research Associates, December 1, 40. The Movement for Black Lives, Color ference Drafts March 23-4 2017. with Right on Crime luminaries to promote 2009, http://www.politicalresearch. of Change, Law for Black Lives, Brooklyn 7. Eduardo Bonilla Silva, “We are all Amer- a common agenda. ieves this m org/2009/12/01/anti-abortion-strategy- Community Bail Fund, Project NIA, and icans!: the Latin Americanization of racial 8. Joey L. Mogul, Andrea J. Ritchie, and in-the-age-of-obama-2/. Southerners on New Ground (SONG), Trans- stratification in the USA,” Race & Society 5 Kay Whitlock, Queer (In)Justice: The Crimi- 25. Telephone interview with foundation formative Bail Reform: A Popular Education (2002) 3–16. nalization of LGBT People in the United States official, October 19, 2016. Curriculum, March 1, 2017, https://policy. (Boston: Beacon Press, 2011). See also L. 26. The Center for Media and Democ- m4bl.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ 8. Nancy MacLean, Behind the Mask of Chiv- Transformative-Bail-Reform-5.pdf. alry: the Making of the Second Ku Klux Klan, Ben-Moshe, C. Chapman, and A. Carey racy, “Koch Criminal Justice Reform (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994); (eds.), Disability Incarcerated: Imprisonment Trojan Horse: Special Report on Reentry 41. Samantha Harvell, Jeremy Welsh- Rory McVeigh, “Structural Incentives for and Disability in the United States and Canada and Following the Money,” PRWatch, Loveman, and Hanna Love, et. al., Reform- Conservative Mobilization: Power Devalua- (New York: Palgrave Macmillan US, 2014). June 16, 2016, http://www.prwatch.org/ ing Sentencing and Corrections Policy: The tion and the Rise of the Ku Klux Klan, 1915- 9. David Jaros, “Flawed Coalitions and the news/2016/06/13115/koch-criminal-jus- Experience of Justice Reinvestment Initia- 25.” Social Forces, June 1999, 77(4). Politics of Crime,” 99 Iowa L. Rev. 1473 tice-reform-report-reentry-follow-money. tive States, Urban Institute, December 19, 2016, http://www.urban.org/research/ 9. Nancy MacLean, Behind the Mask of Chiv- (2014): 1473-1475. 27. Public Performance Safety Project, 10. Marvin D. Free, Jr., “The Impact of Fed- “33 States Reform Criminal Justice Policies publication/reforming-sentencing-and- alry: the Making of the Second Ku Klux Klan, corrections-policy. See also JFA Institute, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994). eral Sentencing Reforms on African Ameri- Through Justice Reinvestment,” The Pew cans,” Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 28, No. Charitable Trusts, November 16, 2016, American Civil Liberties Union, et. al., End- 10. Nancy MacLean, Behind the Mask of ing Mass Incarceration, 1–4. Chivalry: the Making of the Second Ku Klux 2 (Nov., 1997): 268-286. http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research- 11. Angela Y. Davis, Freedom is a Constant and-analysis/fact-sheets/2016/11/33- 42. Editorial Board, “Proposition 47: A Klan, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Failure to Learn History’s Lesson,” The Sac- 1994). Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foun- states-reform-criminal-justice-poli- cies-through-justice-reinvestment. ramento Bee, December 22, 2016, http:// 11. Nancy MacLean, Behind the Mask of dations of a Movement (Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2016), 22. 28. American Civil Liberties Union, www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/ar- Chivalry: the Making of the Second Ku Klux ticle122675524.html. 12. Kathryn Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, “20 “ACLU Awarded $50 Million by Open So- Klan, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 43. “Invest-Divest,” The Movement for 1994); Rory McVeigh, “Structural Incen- Years Since ‘Welfare Reform’,” The Atlantic, ciety Foundations to End Mass Incarcera- August 22, 2016, https://www.theatlan- tion,” November 7, 2014, https://www. Black Lives, https://policy.m4bl.org/in- tives for Conservative Mobilization: Power vest-divest/. Devaluation and the Rise of the Ku Klux tic.com/business/archive/2016/08/20- aclu.org/news/aclu-awarded-50-million- Klan, 1915-25.” Social Forces, June 1999, years-welfare-reform/496730/. See also open-society-foundations-end-mass- 44. Marjorie Cohn, “Jeff Sessions’ - De 77(4). “Welfare Reform in Texas Has Not Worked, incarceration. partment of Injustice,” Truthout, May 4, 2017, http://www.truth-out.org/news/ Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Pro- According to University of Texas at Aus- 29. The Coalition for Public Safety, 12. tin Researchers,” UT News, The Univer- “Leading Conservative, Progressive item/40455-jeff-sessions-department-of- hibition and the Rise of the American State, injustice. (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, sity of Texas at Austin, January 29, 2008, Groups Join Forces to Launch Nation’s 2015). https://news.utexas.edu/2008/01/29/ Largest Coalition Aimed at Compre- 45. Adam Gabbatt, “Anti-Protest Bills social_work_welfare. See also Joshua Hol- hensive Criminal Justice Reform,” PR Would ‘Attack Right to Speak Out’ Un- 13. Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Pro- land, “How Bill Clinton’s Welfare ‘Reform’ Newswire, February 19, 2015, http:// der Donald Trump,” , May hibition and the Rise of the American State, Created a System Rife with Racial Biases,” www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ 8, 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/ (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Moyers & Company, May 12, 2014, http:// leading-conservative-progressive-groups- world/2017/may/08/donald-trump-anti- 2015). billmoyers.com/2014/05/12/how-bill- join-forces-to-launch-nations-largest-co- protest-bills. 14. Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. clintons-welfare-reform-created-a-system- alition-aimed-at-comprehensive-criminal- 46. Frederick Douglass, “Address of Hon. Cloward, Regulating the Poor: The Functions rife-with-racial-biases/. justice-reform-300038422.html. Fred. Douglass” (address, National Conven- of Public Welfare, (Vintage Press, 2nd edi- 13. Governor’s Advisory Task Force on Faith- 30. In September 2016, I requested an tion of Colored Men, Louisville, KY, Sep- tion, 1993). Based Community Service Groups, Faith in interview with executive director Steven tember 24, 1883). Online at: http://colored- 15. Rory McVeigh, “Structural Incentives Action: A New Vision for Church-State Coop- Hawkins, who agreed, and I submitted conventions.org/items/show/554. for Conservative Mobilization: Power De- eration in Texas, December 1996, https:// questions in advance. Shortly before the 47. Aaron Rupar, “Newt Gingrich Sud- valuation and the Rise of the Ku Klux Klan, www.scribd.com/document/249455442/ (twice confirmed) interview was to take denly Acknowledges Structural Racism. 1915-25.” Social Forces, June 1999, 77(4). Texas-Faith-in-Action-1996-pdf. place, a public relations executive with a Here’s Why It’s Hard to Take Him Seri- 16. Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Pro- 14. Tanya Erzen, God in Captivity: The Rise firm that helped create the branding for ously,” ThinkProgress, July 8, 2016, https:// hibition and the Rise of the American State, of Faith-Based Prison Ministries in the Age of CPS informed me by email that Hawkins’ thinkprogress.org/newt-gingrich-sud- (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Mass Incarceration (Boston: Beacon Press, schedule had changed and the interview denly-acknowledges-structural-racism- 2015). 2017). was cancelled. Despite my request to re- heres-why-it-s-hard-to-take-him-seriously- 17. Lisa McGirr, The War on Alcohol: Pro- 15. Texas Freedom Network Education schedule, I did not hear from CPS again. 4a630483d1d#.r7idxojl4. hibition and the Rise of the American State, Fund, “The Texas Faith-Based Initiative at 31. Mississippi NAACP, “Prison Reform 48. Ruth Wilson Gilmore, “In the Shadow (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Five Years: Warning Signs as President Bush Bill’s Effectiveness Questioned,” April 3, of the Shadow State,” in The Revolution 2015). Expands Texas-style Program at National 2014, http://naacpms.org/prison-reform- Will Not be Funded, ed. INCITE! Women of 18. Frances Fox Piven and Richard A. Level,” 2002, http:tfn.org/cms/assets/up- bills-effectiveness-questioned/. Color Against Violence (Boston: South End Cloward, Regulating the Poor: The Functions loads/2016/01/TFN_CC_REPORT-FINAL1. 32. “Sentencing Reform and Corrections Press, 2009). Reprinted with permission by of Public Welfare, (Vintage Press, 2nd edi- pdf (cached). Act of 2015 (S. 2123),” Families Against The Scholar and Feminist Online: http:// tion, 1993). 16. Forrest Wilder, “Revealed: The Corpo- Mandatory Minimums, http://famm.org/ sfonline.barnard.edu/navigating-neoliber- 19. “Election 2016: Exit Polls,” The rations and Billionaires that Fund the Texas sentencing-reform-and-corrections-act- alism-in-the-academy-nonprofits-and-be- New York Times, November 8, 2016, Public Policy Foundation,” Texas Observer, of-2015/. yond/ruth-wilson-gilmore-in-the-shadow- https://www.nytimes.com/interac- August 24, 2012, https://www.texasob- 33. Bernadette Rabuy and Peter Wag- of-the-shadow-state/. tive/2016/11/08/us/politics/election-exit- server.org/revealed-the-corporations-and- ner, “Correctional Control: Incarcera- 49. Mariame Kaba, “Free Us All: Partici- polls.html. billionaires-that-fund-the-texas-public- tion and Supervision by State,” June 1, patory Defense Campaigns as Abolitionist 20. Eduardo Bonilla Silva, “We are all policy-foundation/. 2016 https://www.prisonpolicy.org/ Organizing,” The New Inquiry, May 8, 2017, Americans!: the Latin Americanization of 17. “The Conservative Case for Reform,” reports/50statepie.html https://thenewinquiry.com/free-us-all/. racial stratification in the USA,” Race & So- Right on Crime, http://rightoncrime.com/ 34. No Entry: A National Survey of Criminal 50. Mariame Kaba, “Police ‘Reforms’ You ciety 5 (2002) 3–16. the-conservative-case-for-reform/. See Justice Diversion Programs and Initiatives, Should Always Oppose,” Truthout, Decem- also “Right on Crime Signatories,” Right on Center for Health and Justice Alternatives ber 7, 2014, http://www.truth-out.org/ Crime, http://rightoncrime.com/right-on- at TASC, December 2013, http://www2. opinion/item/27852-police-reforms-you- crime-signatories/. centerforhealthandjustice.org/content/ should-always-oppose. ENDGAME, p. 4 18. Susan B. Tucker and Eric Cadora, “Jus- pub/no-entry-national-survey-criminal- 51. Zenobia Jeffries, “What It Takes to Get tice Reinvestment,” Ideas for an Open Soci- justice-diversion-programs-and-initiatives Women Out of Prison – and Stay Out,” Yes! 1. Dan Berger, “Lessons in Law and Order ety, Open Society Institute, Vol. 3, No. 3, 35. “Problem-Solving Courts,” Treatment Magazine, Winter 2017, http://www.yes- Politics,” African American Intellectual November, 2003. Alternatives for Safe Communities, http:// magazine.org/issues/50-solutions/what- History Society, August 9, 2016, http:// 19. JFA Institute, American Civil Liber- www2.tasc.org/program/problem-solv- it-takes-to-get-women-out-of-prison-and- www.aaihs.org/lessons-in-law-and-order- ing-courts stay-out-20160112. politics/. ties Union, The Sentencing Project, et. al, Ending Mass Incarceration: Charting a New 36. Donna Murch, “Paying for Punish- 52. Derek Seidman, “The Hidden History 2. Newt Gingrich, “On Terrorism it’s Time Justice Reinvestment, April 17, 2013, 6. ment: The New Debtors’ Prison,” Boston of the SNCC Research Department,” Eyes on to Know, to Profile, and to Discriminate,” Available online: https://www.aclu.org/ Review, August 1, 2016. See also Cate Gra- the Ties, May 2, 2017, https://news.littlesis. HumanEvents.com, December 30, 2009, ending-mass-incarceration-charting-new- ziani, Liat Ben-Moshe & Haile Eshe Cole, org/2017/05/02/the-hidden-history-of- http://humanevents.com/2009/12/30/on- justice-reinvestment. Beyond Alternatives to Incarceration and the-sncc-research-department/. terrorism-its-time-to-know-to-profile-and- 20. National Association for the Advance- Confinement, Grassroots Leadership, April 53. “Platform,” Movement for Black Lives, to-discriminate/. ment of Colored People, Misplaced Priori- 2017 http://grassrootsleadership.org/ https://policy.m4bl.org/platform/. “South- 3. Michael Scherer, “Grover Norquist: The ties: Over Incarcerate, Under Educate, (Balti- blog/2017/04/grassroots-leaderships- ern Movement Blueprint: A Plan of Action Soul of the New Machine,” Mother Jones, more: NAACP, 2011). The press conference latest-publication-lays-groundwork-new- in a Time of Crisis,” South Movement As-

22 • The Public Eye SPRING 2017 endnotes

sembly, http://southtosouth.org/. On Putinist Russia as an exporter of right- Business Times, March 11, 2015, http:// 54. Ruth Wilson Gilmore, telephone inter- wing ideology, see Stroop, “A Right-Wing www.ibtimes.com/russia-ketchum-end- Macron Hacking Attack Landed with a Thud view with author, October 7, 2016. International?” controversial-nine-year-public-relations- in France,” New York Times, May 8, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/08/ 55. “In Support of Mens Rea Protections in 10. On Hungary’s move to close down Cen- partnership-1844092. tral European University, see David Mat- Management, Dialogue Of Civiliza- world/europe/macron-hacking-attack- Ohio,” http://rightoncrime.com/2014/12/ 27. france.html. reddy-in-support-of-mens-rea-protections- thews, “Central European University Fights tions Endowment Fund, 2017, http://dofc- in-ohio/. for Survival in Hungary,” The Times Higher foundation.org/management/. On Russia’s 46. Charles Bremner and Adam Sage, Education, March 29, 2017, https://www. “NGO diplomacy,” see also “The Russian “Landslide Victory for Marcon,” The Times 56. Rena Steinzor, “Dangerous Bedfel- of London, May 8, 2017, https://www.the- lows” op cit. The Stalemate on Criminal timeshighereducation.com/news/central- Connection,” 5. european-university-fights-for-survival-in- “The Russian Connection” (p. 5) ar- times.co.uk/edition/news/landslide-for- Justice Reform,” American Prospect, May 28. macron-fns37zvpq. 11, 2016 http://prospect.org/article/dan- hungary. gues, however, that in many cases “the gerous-bedfellows 11. Klaus Brinkbäumer, “Europe Must gains from the trade-off for Far Right 47. Richard Spencer’s Twitter, May 7, Defend itself against a Dangerous Presi- parties are not necessarily financial, as 2017, https://twitter.com/RichardBSpen- 57. Greg Dotson and Alison Cassady, cer/status/861300992419258370. “Three Ways Congressional Mens Rea Pro- dent,” Der Spiegel, February 5, 2017, http:// commonly assumed, but more valuable posals Could Allow White Collar Criminals www.spiegel.de/international/world/a- professional, organizational and media as- 48. Richard Spencer’s Twitter, May 7, to Escape Prosecution,” March 11, 2016, 1133177-amp.html. sistance, i.e., access to networks and politi- 2017, https://twitter.com/RichardB- Center for American Progress, https:// 12. Emily Flitter, “Exclusive: Riding Trump cal know-how.” Spencer/status/861291632817303552; www.americanprogress.org/issues/crimi- Wave, Breitbart News Plans US, European 29. The most comprehensive treatment of https://twitter.com/RichardBSpencer/sta- nal-justice/reports/2016/03/11/133113/ Expansion,” Reuters, November 9, 2016, all the methods listed in this paragraph is tus/861293328909967360 three-ways-congressional-mens-rea-pro- http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- Van Herpen, Putin’s Propaganda Machine. 49. Marcel van Herpen, email interview posals-could-allow-white-collar-criminals- election-trump-strategy-idUSKBN1342TP. For the RT budget figure, see p. 71. with author. to-escape-prosecution/. 13. Olivia Beavers, “Tillerson Asks Euro- 30. “The Russian Connection,” 6. 50. Van Herpen, Putin’s Propaganda Ma- 58. Ruth Wilson Gilmore, telephone con- pean Diplomats why US Taxpayers Should 31. Pasquale Annicchino, personal in- chine, esp. chapters 12, 13, and 14. versation with author, October 7, 2016. Care about Ukraine,” , April 11, terview with author, December 24, 2016. 51. The other two are “Who is to blame?” 59. “Overcriminalization,” Right on 2017, http://thehill.com/homenews/ Full disclosure: Annicchino and I are both and “Who beats whom?” Crime, http://rightoncrime.com/category/ administration/328385-tillerson-asked- senior research associates with the Post- 52. With respect to Brexit, while the Krem- priority-issues/overcriminalization/. See european-diplomats-why-us-taxpayers- secular Conflicts research initiative at the lin did not overtly back the Vote Leave cam- also Michael Haugen, “Randy Petersen should-care-about. University of Innsbruck. paign, it was given preferential treatment on ‘The Lars Larson Show’: Policing Is 14. For the claim that Dugin does not 32. Van Herpen, Putin’s Propaganda Ma- in Russian propaganda outlets RT and Sput- A “Uniquely Local” Idea,” January 18, advise Putin, see Kouprianova’s tweet: chine, 138-146. nik. Hines and Vaux, “Why Putin is Med- 2017, Right o Crime http://rightoncrime. https://twitter.com/NinaByzantina/sta- 33. The ACLJ has also been involved in ef- dling in Britain’s Brexit Vote.” com/2017/01/randy-petersen-on-the-lars- tus/808108740645912576, last accessed forts to criminalize in Afri- 53. Tim Shipman, et al. “Trump Wants larson-show-policing-is-a-uniquely-local- January 17, 2017. can countries. See Kapya Kaoma, “Beyond Putin Summit in Reykjavik. Britain Fears idea/http://rightoncrime.com/2017/01/ 15. Michel, “Meet the Moscow Mouth- Lively and Warren: U.S. Conservative Legal Leak of its Secrets to Moscow,” The Times, randy-petersen-on-the-lars-larson-show- piece.” Groups Changing African Law to Persecute January 15, 2017, http://www.thetimes. policing-is-a-uniquely-local-idea/. 16. Simon Shuster, “Exclusive: Putin Aide Sexual Minorities and Women,” Political co.uk/article/trump-wants-putin-summit- 60. Nancy A. Heitzeg, email conversation Vladislav Surkov Defied EU Sanctions to Research Associates, April 22, 2014, http:// in-reykjavik-rc909n9t0. with author, May 9, 2017 Make Pilgrimage to Greece,” Time, Septem- www.politicalresearch.org/2014/04/22/ 54. Sheera Frenkel, “Spy Agencies around ber 2, 2016, http://time.com/4476005/ beyond-lively-warren-u-s-conservative- the World are Digging into Trump’s Mos- vladislav-surkov-putin-athos-greece-sanc- legal-groups-changing-african-law-to-per- cow Ties,” BuzzFeed, January 13, 2017, tions/. secute-sexual-minorities-women/. https://www.buzzfeed.com/sheerafrenkel/ Between Trump and Putin, p. 11 17. For more details see Stroop, “A Right- 34. Pasquale Annicchino, “Winning the spy-agencies-around-the-world-are-dig- Wing International?” Battle by Losing the War: The Lautsi Case ging-into-trump-moscow?utm_term=.rkg- Alexander Dugin’s Facebook page, 1. 18. Vira Ratsiborynska, “When Hybrid and the Holy Alliance between American P7xyO9#.fqBQMJo0O. accessed January 17, 2017, https:// Warfare Supports Ideology: Russia To- Conservative Evangelicals, the Russian Or- 55. S.2943 - National Defense Authoriza- www.facebook.com/alexandr.dugin/ day,” Research Division – NATO Defense thodox Church and the Vatican to Reshape tion Act for Fiscal Year 2017, section 1287, posts/1359831577360212. While Dugin College, Rome. No. 133, November 2016, European Identity,” Religion and Human https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-con- is clearly using the same rhetoric as Don- Rights 6 (2011), 213-219, esp. 216-218. gress/senate-bill/2943/text. ald Trump and his supporters with respect 5-9, http://www.ndc.nato.int/news/news. to “drain the swamp” (and numerous other php?icode=994. “The Russian Connection. 35. See reports from the University of 56. “Russia Government vs. Rights The Spread of Pro-Russian Policies on the Fribourg’s Center for Ecumenical Studies at Groups. The Battle Chronicle,” Human talking points), a more literal translation of European Far Right,” Political Capital In- http://www.unifr.ch/iso/de/memoria/an- the verb he uses, “высушить,” would be “dry Rights Watch, February 21, 2017, https:// out,” which fits better with the other meta- stitute, March 14, 2014, 4-6, http://www. derson/news_2013 and http://www.unifr. www.hrw.org/russia-government-against- phor he frequently invokes in this context, riskandforecast.com/useruploads/files/pc_ ch/iso/assets/files/Hilarion_50_D.pdf. rights-groups-battle-chronicle. flash_report_russian_connection.pdf. And 36. “The Russian Connection,” 7. 57. Melissa Hooper, personal interview that of fire. see Stroop, “A Right-Wing International?” 2. Alexander Dugin, “Russian Geopoliti- 37. Nico Hines and Pierre Vaux, “Why with author, December 27, 2016. for more on how Russia attracts right-wing Putin is Meddling in Britain’s Brexit Vote,” cian: Trump is Real America,” Katehon, Feb- fellow travelers from the West. 58. Melissa Hooper, personal interview ruary 2, 2016. http://katehon.com/article/ The Daily Beast, June 8, 2016, http://www. with author. russian-geopolitician-trump-real-america . 19. Kerin Hope and Henry Foy, “Pro- thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/08/ 59. Flitter, “Exclusive: Riding Trump Russian Presidential Candidates Win in why-putin-is-meddling-in-britain-s-brexit- Wave.” 3. “Treasury Announces New Designa- Bulgaria and Moldova,” Financial Times, vote.html. Komov is currently listed as tions of Ukrainian Separatists and their November 14, 2016, https://www.ft.com/ honorary president on the association’s 60. Michel, “Meet the Moscow Mouth- Russian Supporters,” US Department of the content/3b75e064-aa59-11e6-809d- website: http://www.lombardiarussia.org/ piece.” Treasury, March 11, 2015, https://www. c9f98a0cf216. 61. Joshua Keating, “God’s Oligarch,” treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/ index.php/associazione/chi-siamo. For 20. Sabra Ayres, email interview with au- more on the influence of Komov, see Stroop, Slate, October 20, 2014, http://www.slate. Pages/jl9993.aspx. thor. “A Right-Wing International?” See also Cole com/articles/news_and_politics/foreign- Patrick Buchanan, “Whose Side is God ers/2014/10/konstantin_malofeev_one_ 4. 21. Anna Nemtsova, “Igor Dodon is Vladi- Parke, “Natural Deception: Conned by the on Now?” Patrick J. Buchanan – Official mir Putin’s Moldovan Mini-Me,” The Daily World Congress of Families,” Political Re- of_vladimir_putin_s_favorite_business- Website, April 4, 2014, http://buchanan. Beast, October 29, 2016, http://www.the- search Associates, January 21, 2015, http:// men_wants_to.html.“Jack Hanick and His org/blog/whose-side-god-now-6337. For dailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/29/igor- www.politicalresearch.org/2015/01/21/ Family Have been Received into Ortho- more details, see Christopher Stroop, dodon-is-vladimir-putin-s-moldovan-mini- natural-deception-conned-by-the-world- doxy in Moscow,” Pravoslavie.ru, May 10, “The Russian Origins of the So-Called congress-of-families/. 2016, http://www.pravoslavie.ru/eng- Post-Secular Moment: Some Preliminary me.html. It is important to remember that lish/93209.htm. the breakaway Moldovan region of Trans- 38. Christopher Stroop, “Bad Ecumenism: Observations,” State Religion and Church nistria remains occupied by a small contin- The American Culture Wars and Russia’s 62. “Александр Дугин: о борьбе с 1:1 (2014), 59-82, https://www.academia. gent of Russian troops and represents one Hard Right Turn.” The Wheel 6 (summer глобализмом [Наша точка зрения],” YouTube edu/5949640/The_Russian_Origins_of_ of a number of intractable post-Cold War 2016), 20-24. video, December 20, 2016, https://www. the_So-Called_Post-Secular_Moment_ “frozen conflicts.” youtube.com/watch?v=Eve4ba78TO8, last Some_Preliminary_Observations . 39. While commentators such as Van accessed January 17, 2017. 22. Demetri Sevastopulo, “Trump was Herpen present the Russian Orthodox 5. Christopher Stroop, “A Right-Wing warned twice on risk of Russia blackmail- Church—at least in terms of its elite leader- 63. “Наша точка зрения: Алекс Джонс о International? Russian Social Conserva- ing Flynn,” Financial Times, May 9, 2017, ship—as essentially a branch of the Russian борьбе Трампа,” YouTube video, Decem- tism, the US-Based World Congress of https://www.ft.com/content/8880e674- state, Brandon Gallaher, Lecturer of Sys- ber 20, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/ Families, and the Global Culture Wars in 3433-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3. tematic and Comparative Theology at Uni- watch?v=3iNFjW85P40, last accessed Historical Context,” The Public Eye, winter January 17, 2017. Although uploaded sepa- 2016, 4-10, http://www.politicalresearch. 23. Office of the Director of National Intel- versity of Exeter and a specialist in Russian ligence, “Intelligence Community Assess- Orthodoxy, stressed to me that the church rately, one after another on December 20, org/2016/02/16/russian-social-conserva- does pursue its own goals but that in its at- 2016, it is clear that this clip follows imme- tism-the-u-s-based-wcf-the-global-culture- ment: Assessing Russian Activities and diately upon the previously cited clip. wars-in-historical-context/. Intentions in Recent US Elections,” January tempt to promote what it sees as Christian 6, 2017, ii-iii, https://www.dni.gov/files/ values it has allowed itself to become de- 64. 64 Per Katehon’s website: http://kate- 6. David Duke, “Is Russia the Key to White documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf. pendent on the Russian state to the point hon.com/about-us, last accessed January Survival?,” DavidDuke.com, October 23, 19, 2017. 24. Melik Kaylan, “The Other Time Vladi- of cooptation. Brandon Gallaher, personal 2004, http://davidduke.com/is-russia-the- interview with author, January 13, 2017. 65. Amanda Marcotte, “‘Drain the key-to-white-survival/. mir Putin Swung an Election,” , Nov 4, 2016, http://www.politico.eu/article/ 40. Marcel van Herpen, email interview Swamp’—of all Those P.C. liberals! Turns 7. Casey Michel, “Meet the Moscow with author. Out Trumpers Don’t Care about Lobbyists Mouthpiece Married to a Racist Alt-Right vladimir-putin-replicates-his-georgia-mod- el-in-the-us/. 41. Marcel van Herpen, email interview or Plutocrats,” Slate, December 21, 2016, Boss,” The Daily Beast, December 20, with author. http://www.salon.com/2016/12/21/drain- 2016, http://www.thedailybeast.com/ 25. Justin Huggler, “Germany Accuses the-swamp-of-all-those-p-c-liberals-turns- articles/2016/12/20/meet-the-moscow- Russia of Cyber Attack on Ukraine Peace 42. Moscow has cultivated a relationship out-trumpers-dont-care-about-lobbyists- mouthpiece-married-to-a-racist-alt-right- Monitors, as Kremlin Dismisses US Intel- with Le Pen, whom Putin met at the Krem- or-plutocrats/. boss.html. ligence Claims as a ‘Witch Hunt,’” The lin on March 24, for some time, and could Telegraph, January 9, 2017, http://www. only be very pleased by Le Pen’s promise to 66. Alexander Dugin, “Donald Trump: The 8. For a recent summary take, see Casey telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/09/ger- abandon the EU. Swamp and the Fire,” Katehon, November Michel, “How Russia Became the Leader of 14, 2016, http://katehon.com/article/don- the Global ,” Politico, Feb- many-accuses-russia-cyber-attack-ukraine- 43. Emily Tamkin, “French Intelligence peace-monitors-kremlin/. Kate Connolly, Agency Braces for Russian Bots to Back ald-trump-swamp-and-fire. ruary 9, 2017, http://www.politico.com/ 67. Providing minimal commentary, Feder magazine/story/2017/02/how-russia-be- “German Spy Chief Says Russian Hackers Le Pen,” Foreign Policy, February 8, 2017, Could Disrupt Elections,” The Guardian, http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/02/08/ reprints Bannon’s speech in its entirety: J. came-a-leader-of-the-worldwide-christian- Lester Feder, “This is How Steve Bannon right-214755. November 29, 2016, https://www.the- french-intelligence-agency-braces-for-rus- guardian.com/world/2016/nov/29/ger- sian-bots-to-back-le-pen/. Sees the Entire World,” BuzzFeed, Novem- 9. For a timely consideration of Russian ber 15, 2016. https://www.buzzfeed.com/ man-spy-chief-russian-hackers-could-dis- 44. Andrew Higgins, “It’s France’s Turn to influence and disinformation relative to Eu- rupt-elections-bruno-kahl-cyber-attacks. lesterfeder/this-is-how-steve-bannon- rope, and the Soviet historical context, see Worry about Election Meddling by Russia,” 26. See Van Herpen, Putin’s Propaganda New York Times, April 17, 2017. https:// sees-the-entire-world?utm_term=.jcmbx- Marcel H. Van Herpen, Putin’s Propaganda Machine, 49-50; Dennis Lynch, “Russia, BX3N#.jk64yNxb2, last accessed January Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Pol- www.nytimes.com/2017/04/17/world/eu- 19, 2017. icy (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016). Ketchum End Controversial Nine-Year Pub- rope/french-election-russia.html?_r=0 lic Relations Partnership,” International 45. Quoted in Rachel Donadio, “Why the

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Art of Activism This issue’s cover artist, Erik Ruin, is a Philadelphia-based was formulated to explore “what imprisonment and isolation printmaker, shadow puppeteer, and paper-cut artist whose reveals about the nature of humanity.” work has been called “spell-binding” by . He Ruin says the connection between his art and activism isn’t describes his art as oscillating “between the poles of apocalyptic always scripted though. Pointing out that activism often fo- anxieties and utopian yearnings, cuses on quantifiable goals and with an emphasis on empathy, campaigns, Ruin is drawn to art- transcendence, and obsessive de- making partly because of its “re- tail.” sistance to utilitarianism,” noting He stumbled upon printmak- that “the way an image or perfor- ing and paper-cut art because they mance has the potential to impact were the more affordable, avail- people is highly subjective, vari- able mediums being deployed by able and often mysterious even to his punk rock peers. The demo- its maker.” cratic nature of the mediums he While artists often use their works in creates opportunities to skills to enrich and amplify the challenge and reinvent the “rath- message of social movements, er hierarchical and elitist infra- Ruin also observes that “art has structure that often surrounds/ the power to speak in different, presents the art world.” For Ruin, sometimes stranger and subtler, printmaking in particular allows ways—to say things that are only for a highly personal creative pro- on the verge of being articulable cess that’s more accessible than a otherwise.” Although his art of- single painting. Erik Ruin, Wanderers (Trees), 2014, screen print, 25” x 19”. ten explores more abstract and Raised in , Ruin was a See more of Erik’s work at erikruin.com. subjective elements, the labor- member of the UpsideDown Culture Collective in Detroit and intensive physicality of his process—he is currently creating a other groups of radical-minded artists that eventually coalesced paper-cut piece more than 100 feet long—intersects with his in 2007 to form the international Justseeds Artists Cooperative convictions. “[L]abor and the struggle to be present with what of printmakers (which began as a solo project of Josh MacPhee in I am depicting is of inherent value to me,” he says. “I feel like 1998). His work is frequently made in collaboration with other the effort to shape and bring forth the figures and landscapes artists and activist campaigns delving into social issues as well in my work is an extension/reflection/origin of the empathy I as more abstract underlying concepts. For example, “Prisoner’s hope viewers will experience when viewing it.” Song,” his recent audio-visual piece with composer Gelsey Bell, -Gabriel Joffe

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