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The Culture of Violent Talk: An Interpretive Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Pete Simi

    (Department of Sociology, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866, USA)

  • Steven Windisch

    (Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA)

Abstract

One of the defining characteristics of extremist movements is the adherence to an ideology highly antagonistic to the status quo and one that permits or explicitly promotes the use of violence to achieve stated goals and to address grievances. For members of extremist groups, talk is one of the most concrete manifestations of how adherents communicate their ideas to each other and the general public. These discussions, however, do not necessarily involve a direct correspondence between words and future behavior. To better understand the culture of violent talk, we investigate how white supremacist extremists use these discussions as a rhetorical device that provides them with a sense of doing and an opportunity to express their frustrations and anger. Our analysis is grounded primarily in the ethnographic data we collected on a variety of US white supremacists since 1997. Our investigation offers important insight regarding the interactional qualities of extremist culture as well as policy implications regarding the assessment process.

Suggested Citation

  • Pete Simi & Steven Windisch, 2020. "The Culture of Violent Talk: An Interpretive Approach," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:9:y:2020:i:7:p:120-:d:382925
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mitchell James K, 2003. "The Fox and the Hedgehog: Myopia About Homeland Security in U.S. Policies on Terrorism," Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, De Gruyter, vol. 1(1), pages 1-3, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kristy Campion & Scott Poynting, 2021. "International Nets and National Links: The Global Rise of the Extreme Right—Introduction to Special Issue," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-7, February.

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