Geospatially Mapping Contemporary Patterns in Far-Right Terrorism

• In Event: Mapping and Responding to Terrorism and Political Violence

Abstract

Far-Right domestic terrorism has plagued America since the 1980s; however, after the events of 9/11, the discipline of terrorism focused on Islamic Extremism. While the events of Charlottesville received a great deal of media attention, little empirical research has been conducted on Far-Right terrorism since the inception of the Alt-Right. The Alt-Right traces its roots back to the Paleoconservative movement which inspired Far-Right domestic terrorist movements in the 1980s, but they also claim to be distinct from past movements. Is the Alt-Right changing Far-Right domestic terrorism? Using the data from the American Terrorism Study, this analysis includes a geospatial map of activity by Far-Right perpetrators from 1980 to 2020. The study focuses on two periods: first, from 1980 to 2007; second, from 2008, the year in which the Alt-Right was founded, to 2020. The paper will highlight similarities and differences related to Alt-Right activity during these two periods. Independent variables including education, subcategory of terrorism, and radicalization will be analyzed for those time frames to document changes, if any, in the types of perpetrators of Far-Right terrorism incidents.

Authors

• Meredith LeAnn Lerma, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

• Katie Ratcliff, University of Arkansas