Extremist Mindsets and Strategies

Presenting an analysis of modern-day extremism, this book explores how any group of people or participants in a movement—political, ideological, racial, ethnonational, religious, or issue-driven—can adopt extremist mindsets if they believe their existence or interests are threatened.

Looking beyond “fringe” resistance groups already labeled as terrorists or subversives, the author examines conventional organizations—political parties, religious groups, corporations, interest groups, nation-states, police, and the military—that deploy extremist strategies to further their agendas. Dynamics of mutual causation process between dominant and resistant extremist groups are explored, including how resistant extremisms surface in response to oppressive and abusive measures advanced by the dominant groups to further their interests and maintain supremacy through systemic injustices, as happens in slavery, caste systems, patriarchy, colonialism, autocracy, exploitive capitalism, and discrimination against minorities.

Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

With a Ph.D. in sociology, S. Clara Kim taught in higher education institutions for over 30 years.

S. Clara Kim
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 400
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2021
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7920-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4253-6
Imprint: McFarland

Preface 1
Introduction 5
1. Extremist Cultural Mindsets on a Group Level 30
2. Extremist Cultural Mindsets on a Personal Level 60
3. Extremist Strategies of Pivoting Group Identities 98
4. Extremist Strategies Designed to Enhance Group Power 145
5. Typical Goals of Extremist Groups 175
6. Factors That Facilitate the Rise of Extremist Groups 200
7. Deterring Extremist Group Aggressions 240
Conclusion 293
Chapter Notes 295
Bibliography 357
Index 383

“A comprehensive analysis…This book is a solid contribution to the literature on understanding extremist psychology and the power of groupthink. …recommended”—Choice