White supremacy: radicalization, deradicalization, and public health implications Open Access
Seiler, Jessica (Spring 2019)
Abstract
After interviewing six self-identified former white supremacists using a semi-structured interview guide, I used grounded theory to build theories of radicalization and deradicalization specific to white supremacy. These models represent the beginning of a process that will involve further theoretical refinement through additional foundational research and eventual intervention development, all allowing us to do anti-racist work in the field of public health.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: introduction........................................................................................................ 6
Research rationale: white supremacy as a public health issue.................................. 6
Radicalization and deradicalization in the public health context............................. 9
Significance of this research............................................................................................. 12
Theoretical framework....................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 2: literature review............................................................................................ 14
Public health contributions to the understanding of racism.................................... 14
White supremacy.................................................................................................................. 17
Radicalization and deradicalization................................................................................ 18
Violence as a public health problem............................................................................... 23
Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 24
Chapter 3: methods.............................................................................................................. 25
Internal Review Board clearance..................................................................................... 26
Population and sample....................................................................................................... 26
The interview guide............................................................................................................. 28
Interview format.................................................................................................................. 30
Data management................................................................................................................ 31
Analysis................................................................................................................................... 31
Grounded theory.................................................................................................................. 33
Chapter 4: results................................................................................................................. 35
Case analyses of former white supremacists................................................................ 35
Janet..................................................................................................................................... 35
Stephen................................................................................................................................ 37
Ben....................................................................................................................................... 38
Zachary................................................................................................................................ 39
Toby...................................................................................................................................... 41
Andrew................................................................................................................................ 42
Important themes in radicalization................................................................................ 44
Aesthetics............................................................................................................................ 44
Identity and identity construction.................................................................................. 46
Feelings of power and self-worth.................................................................................... 49
Intellectual curiosity........................................................................................................... 51
The stigma surrounding taboo subjects.......................................................................... 55
Searching for community.................................................................................................. 57
Escalation of engagement................................................................................................. 59
Violence............................................................................................................................... 62
Ambivalence....................................................................................................................... 64
Important themes in deradicalization............................................................................ 68
New communities.............................................................................................................. 68
Ambivalence........................................................................................................................ 72
Changing identities............................................................................................................ 74
Lingering beliefs................................................................................................................. 76
Healing................................................................................................................................ 79
Proposed theoretical models............................................................................................. 83
Chapter 5: discussion.......................................................................................................... 90
The theoretical models....................................................................................................... 90
Implications and recommendations............................................................................... 92
White supremacy as a public health problem................................................................ 92
The importance of the Internet....................................................................................... 94
Age at time of radicalization............................................................................................. 95
Interventions...................................................................................................................... 95
The “no-platform” practice and other failures.............................................................. 96
Strengths, limitations, and next steps............................................................................ 98
Reflexivity.............................................................................................................................. 99
Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 100
Appendix: the interview guide...................................................................................... 102
Citations.................................................................................................................................. 105About this Master's Thesis
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