Toward a Global Panorama of White Power
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Jeffrey Kaplan, ed.. Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press, 2000. x + 585 pp. $99.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-7425-0340-3. Reviewed by Stephanie Shanks-Meile Published on H-Pol (August, 2001) Toward A Global Panorama of White Power States have "exported" American philosophies In The Encyclopedia of White Power: A with organizations such as the KKK, Christian Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right, Jeffrey Identity, and the Church of the Creator making Kaplan has gathered an exhaustive collection of "strong inroads into the European radical right" entries chronicling the international breadth of (p. xix). white separatist/white supremacist philosophies, Kaplan's orientation toward a social scientific organizations, and leaders. Although he contrib‐ study of the far right has required a detached or uted a considerable number of the articles, this dispassionate treatment of the subject. He quoted reference has relied upon the expertise of several George Santayana (1863-1952) when approaching other researchers, historians, and sociologists. Ka‐ contributors to this volume requiring the authors plan's volume takes a different perspective than to "write an entry that would 'neither demonize the few other encyclopedias of the far right, most nor proselytize, but would leave an accurate and of which are out of print, by focusing on white unbiased historical record.'" Kaplan reminded separatism in the United States and its relation‐ himself, the contributors, and the reader to "nei‐ ship to contemporary European fascist move‐ ther laugh, nor to cry, but to understand." In keep‐ ments. As Kaplan noted, "In recent years, there ing with that commitment, a number of essays appears to have been a sea change in the world of written by white power leaders, such as Rick the radical-right-wing. Heretofore, ideas and lead‐ Cooper (the editor of the National Socialist Van‐ ership had fowed from east to west, from the fas‐ guard), were included in the volume allowing cist movements of Europe to a small but enthusi‐ them to speak for themselves. After conducting in‐ astic audience of American aficionados who were terviews in feld research over the years, Kaplan drawn into the dream by shared political beliefs concluded that "each of these true believers has or by ties of ethnicity to their nations of origin." much of value to say, if only one were prepared to Recently, however, far right groups in the United H-Net Reviews listen" and he "wanted to give them a chance to plan acknowledges Bellant's book Old Nazis, The speak." New Right, and the Republican Party (South End Unlike many encyclopedias, the entries in this Press, 1991), which chronicles the close ties be‐ volume are analytical, historical, and highly de‐ tween the Republican Party and fascist groups, his tailed. While George and Wilcox's Nazis, Commu‐ working assumption that racialism and a revolu‐ nists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe tionary attitude delineate "far-right" groups from (Prometheus Books, 1992) was useful to give read‐ the mainstream remains problematic. ers an idea of the breadth of the "far right," their There is a new and growing re-examination descriptions of organizations were much more of the left-right political continuum and whether brief. While there are more general encyclopedias "non-mainstream" groups are marginalized or on race relations, such as Martin and Sullivan's, tied to the center. Berlet and Lyons' Right-Wing eds., Civil Rights in the United States (Simon and Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort (Guil‐ Schuster, 1999), which included a few entries on ford Press, 2000) and Dobratz and Shanks-Meile's white separatism, Kaplan's volume provides a "White Power, White Pride!" The White Power comprehensive analysis of the organizations and Movement in the United States (Twayne Publish‐ philosophies in the white power movement and ers, 1997; Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000) the inter-relationships that exist between the questioned the usefulness of marginalizing movement's leaders and groups. A detailed listing philosophies with ideological and organizational of related keywords and mini-bibliographies fol‐ links to the mainstream. Some research has sug‐ lows each entry on the subject. This feature facili‐ gested that conceptualizing these groups as "far- tates an understanding of historical changes and right" has been a convenient way to distance our‐ inter-organizational relationships and philoso‐ selves from the racism prevalent throughout our phies. society. Members of "far-right" groups then be‐ One of the points that Kaplan struggled with come the scapegoats for all of the racism in soci‐ in the preface was the definition of "far-right" ety, which in turn lets the mainstream "off of the groups. While he acknowledged the relationship hook" from examining the role that mainstream between what he termed the far-right and main‐ institutions and actors play in the reproduction stream socio-political structures, Kaplan decided and maintenance of racism. In this view, "main‐ to include groups and ideologies that emphasized stream" social forces express racism more subtly the primacy of race and that advocate racial revo‐ and mask themselves behind the cloak of social lution rather than more mainstream conservative class differences. Emergent White Studies litera‐ routes to social change. He acknowledged that it is ture points out the implication of the failure of the difficult to know where to draw the line, but some mainstream to analyze the relationship between of the choices that he made magnify the problems income inequality and racism, making poor of placing groups along a left-right political con‐ whites appear anomalous through generalized tinuum. For example, Willis Carto is difficult to notions of white skin privilege rather than as a classify due to his involvement in the Populist natural outcome of capitalist inequality. For Party, which has made numerous attempts in greater clarity on this issue than a book review presidential races. In addition, Carto's recently de‐ will allow, one should examine Wray and Newitz's funct Spotlight has contained some favorable sto‐ edited volume White Trash: Race and Class in ries over the years on ultraconservative main‐ America (Routlege, 1997), which contains numer‐ stream politicians such as Pat Buchanan, who ous analytical articles deconstructing the histori‐ came out of the Republican Party. Although Ka‐ cal relationship between whiteness and capital. Kaplan does acknowledge that the delineation be‐ 2 H-Net Reviews tween the "far-right" and the mainstream be‐ those of independent researchers. It is essential comes subjective, but it would have been useful to that scholarly research maintain its analytical dis‐ delve more deeply into the distinction bringing in tinction from more politically oriented groups other relevant issues from the contemporary de‐ monitoring "far-right" activity. bate over marginalization. This reviewer would highly recommend Ka‐ Kaplan's preface is a worthwhile read unto it‐ plan's encyclopedia for library reference collec‐ self. He is particularly courageous in his intellec‐ tions. In addition, this volume would serve as a tual autobiography chronicling his evolving orien‐ helpful compendium to students and researchers tation toward the study of white separatism. It trying to deal with the breadth of philosophies was particularly helpful to this reader as many and organizations in the white power movement. people have a difficult time understanding the I am teaching a course on the Sociology of Politi‐ dispassionate eye of social scientific research. His cal and Religious Movements this fall and will detached journey led him into the "terra incogni‐ place a copy of this encyclopedia on reserve in the ta" of the religious "far-right" and he emerged library so that students can learn more about spe‐ with a humanistic understanding of these people cific organizations and leaders who are referred who "upon closer examination, were not really to in other monographs. This volume is a must for monsters at all. They held political views that researchers in the feld who certainly know the were repugnant, and religious views based on general information about certain groups but fantastically eccentric interpretations of sacred. may have the need on occasion to readily access But whatever their belief structure, these were more specific information without searching not monsters. They are not the violent and hate through a mountain of monographs. Kaplan's vol‐ filled people I had expected to fnd." Instead, Ka‐ ume is an accessible way to see the movement plan found them to be "dispirited and confused" through well-organized materials that emphasize human beings relying on biblical wars between the historical, cross-cultural, philosophical, and good and evil as preached from Christian pulpits sociological aspects toward understanding the in their childhoods (p. xxxii). "far right." This reviewer has been studying white sepa‐ ratism for eighteen years, conducting feld re‐ search for the past nine years. Kaplan's words strike to the heart of the dilemma for the re‐ searcher. It is difficult to remain true to the ethics and process of social science discourse in order to understand the social construction of reality, as understood by America's most currently hated pariahs, while maintaining the delicate balance between a jaundiced eye and a sympathetic over- identification with the research subjects that could lead the researcher toward "going native." Although social science research on white sepa‐ ratism is still relatively scarce, Kaplan's commit‐ ment to a dispassionate approach to the subject is refreshing. He notes the distinction between the goals and values of watchdog organizations and 3 H-Net Reviews If there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the network, at https://networks.h-net.org/h-pol Citation: Stephanie Shanks-Meile. Review of Kaplan, Jeffrey, ed. Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right.