Origins of Political Extremism
Origins of Political Extremism

Author: Manus I. Midlarsky

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2011-03-17

Total Pages: 443

ISBN-13: 1139500775

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Political extremism is one of the most pernicious, destructive, and nihilistic forms of human expression. During the twentieth century, in excess of 100 million people had their lives taken from them as the result of extremist violence. In this wide-ranging book Manus I. Midlarsky suggests that ephemeral gains, together with mortality salience, form basic explanations for the origins of political extremism and constitute a theoretical framework that also explains later mass violence. Midlarsky applies his framework to multiple forms of political extremism, including the rise of Italian, Hungarian and Romanian fascism, Nazism, radical Islamism, and Soviet, Chinese and Cambodian communism. Other applications include a rampaging military (Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia) and extreme nationalism in Serbia, Croatia, the Ottoman Empire and Rwanda. Polish anti-Semitism after World War II and the rise of separatist violence in Sri Lanka are also examined.

The Nature and Origins of Political Extremism In Germany and Beyond
The Nature and Origins of Political Extremism In Germany and Beyond

Author: Sebastian Jungkunz

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-11-24

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 3030833364

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This book provides a systematic overview of the prevalence, causes, and stability of left-wing and right-wing extremist attitudes in Germany between 1994 and 2017. It shows that there are many similarities between left-wing and right-wing extremists, both in terms of their ideologies and their individual experiences. Overall, these causes can be traced back to three factors: unmet individual needs (e.g., deprivation or disenchantment with politics), access to ideological narratives that promise simplified solutions to individual problems, and the larger social circumstances of life (e.g., transformation processes, unemployment, or immigration). Although extremist attitudes are relatively rare, they are also shown to be highly stable: once acquired, individuals are difficult to bring back onto the democratic path. This book is the first to systematically compare left-wing and right-wing extremist attitudes, to provide an intensive methodological contribution to the measurability of such attitudes, and to relate their causes and stability.

The Historical Roots of Political Violence
The Historical Roots of Political Violence

Author: Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2019-06-06

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 1108482767

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Offers the first comprehensive analysis of the wave of revolutionary terrorism in affluent countries.

Political Extremism and Rationality
Political Extremism and Rationality

Author: Albert Breton

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2002-01-07

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780521804417

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Political extremism is widely considered to be the product of irrational behavior. The distinguishing feature of this collection by well-known economists and political scientists from North America, Europe and Australia is to propose a variety of explanations which all insist on the rationality of extremism. Contributors use variants of this approach to shed light on subjects such as the conditions under which democratic parties take extremist positions, the relationship between extremism and conformism, the strategies adopted by revolutionary movements, and the reasons why extremism often leads to violence. The authors identify four core issues in the study of the phenomenon: the nature (definition) of extremism and its origins in both democratic and authoritarian settings, the capacity of democratic political systems to accommodate extremist positions, the strategies (civil disobedience, assassination, lynching) chosen by extremist groups, and the circumstances under which extremism becomes a threat to democracy.

American Extremism
American Extremism

Author: D. J. Mulloy

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2004-08-02

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 1134358024

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American Extremism explains how at the heart of the politics practiced by the militia movement is an attempt to define the nature of 'Americanism', and shows how militia members employ the myths, metaphors and perceived historical lessons of the American Revolution, the constitutional settlement and America's frontier experience to do so. Mulloy argues that militia members' search for the 'authority of history' leads them to a position best characterized as 'ahistorical historicism', in which political interests in the present are given greater weight than the demands of a historically accurate reading of the past. With discussion of such recent events as the Oklahoma City bombing, Waco and the September 11th attacks alongside topical issues including militia conspiracy theories and the origins of Americans' right to keep and bear arms, this work provides the deepest understanding to date of the American militia movement.

A Transnational History of Right-Wing Terrorism
A Transnational History of Right-Wing Terrorism

Author: Johannes Dafinger

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2022-03-30

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 1000548279

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A Transnational History of Right-Wing Terrorism offers new insights into the history of right-wing extremism and violence in Europe, East and West, from 1900 until the present day. It is the first book to take such a broad historical approach to the topic. The book explores the transnational dimension of right-wing terrorism; networks of right-wing extremists across borders, including in exile; the trading of arms; the connection between right-wing terrorism and other forms of far-right political violence; as well as the role of supportive elements among fellow travelers, the state security apparatus, and political elites. It also examines various forms of organizational and ideological interconnectedness and what inspires right-wing terrorism. In addition to several empirical chapters on prewar extreme-right political violence, the book features extensive coverage of postwar right-wing terrorism including the recent resurgence in attacks. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of right-wing extremism, fascism, Nazism, terrorism, and political violence.

Extremism in America
Extremism in America

Author: George Michael

Publisher:

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780813061986

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Gathers essays by area specialists to provide an assessment of contemporary American extremism, exploring the views of each group in context and examining the tension between civil liberties and possible threats to society.

American Hysteria
American Hysteria

Author: Andrew Burt

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2015-05-15

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 1493017659

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This debut book from Andrew Burt details the pivotal moments in American political history when outliers moved to the center, capturing the national spotlight and turning fringe politics mainstream. American Hysteria puts readers at the center of the nation’s most prominent periods of political extremism, from the Anti-Illuminati movement of the 1790s to McCarthyism in the 1950s to the Anti-Sharia movement of today. Both a deep dive into American history and a riveting narrative account, this is book is as much history lesson as it is drama. Burt argues that political hysteria arises in periods of deep uncertainty about American identity, and that when Americans lose their sense of who they are, they lash out against perceived threats with blacklists, scapegoating, conspiracies, cover-ups and more. By exploring the infamous and sometimes forgotten movements and characters of our nation’s past, this fascinating book provides a unique view into America’s history, its identity, and ultimately its future.

Extremism, Society, and the State
Extremism, Society, and the State

Author: Giacomo Loperfido

Publisher: Berghahn Books

Published: 2021-12-10

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1800733461

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Extremism does not happen in a vacuum. Rather, extremism is a relative concept that often emerges in crisis situations, taking shape within the tense and contradictory relations that tie marginal spaces, state orders, and mainstream culture. This collected volume brings together leading anthropologists and cultural analysts to offer a concise look at the narratives, symbolic, and metaphoric fields related to extremism, systematizing an approach to extremism, and placing these ideologies into historical, political, and geo-systemic contexts.

Pakistan's Drift into Extremism
Pakistan's Drift into Extremism

Author: Hassan Abbas

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-03-26

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1317463285

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This book examines the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan, particularly since 1947, and analyzes its connections to the Pakistani army's corporate interests and U.S.-Pakistan relations. It includes profiles of leading Pakistani militant groups with details of their origins, development, and capabilities. The author begins with an historical overview of the introduction of Islam to the Indian sub-continent in 712 AD, and brings the story up to the present by describing President Musharraf's handling of the war on terror. He provides a detailed account of the political developments in Pakistan since 1947 with a focus on the influence of religious and military forces. He also discusses regional politics, Pakistan's attempt to gain nuclear power status, and U.S.-Pakistan relations, and offers predictions for Pakistan's domestic and regional prospects.