Modern American Extremism and Domestic Terrorism: An Encyclopedia of Extremists and Extremist Groups

Since the election of Barack Obama in 2008, extremist and hate groups have seen a resurgence on the American political landscape. Members of these subgroups within the American population have become concerned that the America that they have always known is fading into oblivion, with a majority of individuals in these groups holding fiercely anti-immigration views and adhering to the belief that the United States should not admit large numbers of any group that is not white, Christian, or predominantly European. Others believe that the principles and precepts of the U.S. Constitution have gone by the wayside and that drastic measures are required to protect the underlying tenets that were the essential elements of the Constitution and many of their nation's founding principles. How did these individuals come to feel this way, is it possible to bring these impassioned extremists back into the fold, and if so, how?

This book provides comprehensive, illuminating, and sometimes disturbing insights into the individuals, groups, and events that have illustrated extremist behavior in post-World War II America. Ranging from the anti-communist rhetoric and activities of the John Birch Society, to the radical socialist ideals of the Black Panthers, to the goals of a pure America articulated by white nationalists, this book documents the various extremist elements that shaped the second half of the 20th century as well as the first two decades of the 21st century. Readers will grasp how events in the histories of individuals and groups as well as perceived injustices have lead to the incidences of hate and extremism in American society. The encyclopedic entries of the book are specifically written to accessible to readers without specific knowledge of extremism, political science, or sociology.

Barry J. Balleck, PhD, is professor and chair of the Department of Political Science and International Studies at Georgia Southern University.