Understanding Racist Activism: Theory, Methods, and Research

Routledge Studies in Fascism and the Far Right

by Kathleen M. Blee

White supremacist groups are highly secretive, so their public propaganda tells us little about their operations or the people they attract. To understand the world of organized racism it is necessary to study it from the inside by talking to their members and observing their groups. Doing so reveals a disturbing picture of how fairly ordinary white people learn to embrace the vicious ideas and dangerous agendas of white supremacism.

This book takes the reader inside organized racism, revealing the kind of women and men who join groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan or neo-Nazi skinheads, and what they do in those groups. The volume collects significant published works from renowned scholar Kathleen M. Blee's work on racist activism, alongside new essays on the theories, methods, and approaches of studying racist activism. Discussing topics such as emotional issues in research, the place of violence and hate in white supremacism, and how women are involved in racial terrorism, Blee makes use of a range of sources, including oral histories, ethnographic observations, and interviews, to shape her findings.

Written by the pioneer and leading scholar of women in racist activism, this volume is essential reading for students, scholars, and general readers interested in the areas of social movements, politics, race studies, and American history.

Genres: Race

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2017

About the author

Kathleen M. Blee is Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh, USA.

Reviews

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book on the theory and methodology of studying racist activism. Kathleen m. Blee is a sociologist and has contributed to exposing the involvement of women in racist activism, a reality that many men in academia have overlooked do to sexist ideas about women's agency. This furthers the importance of addressing patriarchy and seeking equality of the sexes as I feel it is essential to understand who is involved in racist institutions if one seeks to dismantle white supremacists institutions.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a FANTASTIC look into the lives of women in racist movements in the US. Kathleen Blee provides fascinating interviews along with detailed historical data of women leaders in the 1920s KKK movement. Plus she takes a moment to acknowledge how challenging it can be you devote one's self to researching racism.

[Lauren Tarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for an anthropology class on social movements. Fascinating insights into white supremacists in the US, along with descriptions of how challenging it is (logistically, emotionally) to do ethnography on this topic.