Confronting Right Wing Extremism and Terrorism in the USA

Is there a right-wing extremist threat in America? Are domestic terrorists gaining strength? How does America respond to the extreme right challenge? Right wing extremism in the United States has received considerable attention in recent years, yet few studies have simultaneously examined the response of government and non-governmental organizations to the threat these groups embody. The unique constitutional tradition of civil liberties in America means that the government is unable to disband a group simply because they have unpopular ideas, as a result private non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have stepped in to heavily influence this area of US public policy. Confronting Right Wing Extremism and Terrorism in the USA provides a detailed portrait of the contemporary extreme right in the US and includes interviews with several of the movement’s leading figures from groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, Militias, American Renaissance and the White Aryan Resistance. The author persuasively explains how the activities of these racist groups have been curbed due to the campaigning efforts of anti-racist and anti-fascist watchdogs. This study draws upon declassified government documents, NGO reports and extremist literature to provide a thought provoking account of the extreme right challenge in America. It will provide an invaluable resource to students of terrorism, political violence and right wing extremism as well as appealing to the general reader with an interest in contemporary American politics.