Alt-America
Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump is a 2017 nonfiction book by investigative journalist David Neiwert in which provides an account of how disparate but interrelated elements of American culture ranging from the Birther movement to Gamergate to the militia movement came together to elect Donald Trump and create the alt-right.[1]
Summary
Unlike some other analyses of the alt-right, such as George Hawley's more narrowly focused How to Make Sense of the Alt-Right, Neiwert provides his analysis from a broad vantage point. Neiwert walks through a wide variety of cultural movements and subcultures on the right, exploring how they connect, how they affect each other, and how they interpret the outside world.[1]
Beginning with the Presidency of Bill Clinton, Neiwert examines the rise of the survivalist and militia movements during this time. He investigates the manner by which the New World Order conspiracy theory and the white supremacist movement during the Civil Rights era presaged these new growths during the Clinton administration. The federal marshal siege at Ruby Ridge and the siege at Waco siege of the Branch Davidians further radicalized the militia movement. During the Presidency of George W. Bush, the militia movement declined in prominence, but the 9/11 Truth movement grew. Following the election of Barack Obama and during his subsequent presidency, the level of far-right terror attacks rose again and federal stand-offs returned. During this time, the right-wing media ecosystem changed dramatically, impacted by the emergence of Breitbart, the alignment of Fox News with the Tea Party movement, led by Glenn Beck, and the rise of Richard B. Spencer on the far right of the party. Neiwert ties these movements together to explain the rise of Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election.[2]
Neiwert is largely unconvinced by the economic explanations for Trump's victory. Rather, he argues, the collision of cultural factors on the right led to the success of the candidate.[2]
Reception
The Washington Post highlights how Neiwert goes beyond particular conservative schisms of online subcultures to try to paint a picture of how the different facets of the alt-right, the right wing, and conspiracy theorists connect to create new dynamics and American modes of behavior. Though the Post argues that Neiwert's "analysis can be too broad," it concludes by noting that it "draws some intriguing connections" that cannot be found in a more limited work.[1]
The International Socialist Review (ISR) describes the book as a fully comprehensive "narrative encyclopedia" that provides a fully-developed, highly methodical view of the history that keeps the reader engaged through its "dramatic" tone. Though the ISR finds "Neiwert’s prescriptions for defeating the alt-right... disappointing—a focus on human empathy in talking with others, nonviolent protest, and the use of the ballot box", it comes to the conclusion that book serves as "an excellent and necessary guide".[3]
Kirkus Reviews called the book "A prescient discussion of one of the darkest issues facing America today."[4]
References
- ^ a b c Lozada, Carlos (3 November 2017). "Where the alt-right wants to take America — with or without Trump". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Edgar, David (23 November 2017). "Alt-America and English Uprising review – Trump, Brexit and the far right". The Guardian.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew E. (Fall 2018). "A primer on the US alt-right". International Socialist Review.
- ^ "Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump by David Neiwert". Kirkus Reviews. August 30, 2017. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
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- AltRight Corporation
- American Freedom Party
- Anti-Communist Action
- Antipodean Resistance
- Atomwaffen Division
- The Base
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- Identitarian Movement of Austria
- Lads Society
- Les Identitaires
- London Forum
- National Justice Party
- National Policy Institute
- New Century Foundation
- Patriot Front
- Patriot Prayer
- Proud Boys
- Rise Above Movement
- Traditionalist Worker Party (defunct)
- Vanguard America
- Washington Summit Publishers
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- James Allsup
- Andrew Anglin
- Andrew "weev" Auernheimer
- Steve Bannon
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- Christopher Cantwell
- Mike Cernovich
- Alain de Benoist
- John Derbyshire
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- David Duke
- Mike Enoch
- Guillaume Faye
- Haakon Forwald
- Daniel Friberg
- Nick Fuentes
- Jean-François Gariépy
- Ben Garrison
- Austin "Augustus Sol Invictus" Gillespie
- Tim "Baked Alaska" Gionet
- Faith Goldy
- Paul Gottfried
- Christopher Paul Hasson
- Matthew Heimbach
- Michael A. Hoffman II
- Sam Hyde
- Charles C. Johnson
- Greg Johnson
- William Daniel Johnson
- Alex Jones
- Arthur J. Jones
- Jason Jorjani
- Ruuben Kaalep
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- Ethan Nordean
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- Bronze Age Pervert
- Paul Ray Ramsey
- William Regnery II
- Jack Renshaw
- Colin "Millennial Woes" Robertson
- Steve Sailer
- Martin Sellner
- Thomas Sewell
- Lauren Southern
- Richard B. Spencer
- Brett Stevens
- Jared Taylor
- Tila Tequila
- Daryush "Roosh V" Valizadeh
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