NCJ Number
192050
Journal
Studies in Conflict and Terrorism Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2001 Pages: 89-106
Date Published
March 2001
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article examines the process of ideological change that accompanied the evolution of the neo-Nazi movement in the United States.
Abstract
The dominant factor in the movement’s psychological worldview has historically been a catastrophic millennial outlook that looks forward to the destruction of an environing order perceived to be degraded and beyond hope for renewal. However, certain organizational changes had taken place in the movement by the 1970’s, these changes led to its fracture along separate philosophical tracks. The millennial underpinnings of the American neo-Nazi movement’s belief structure remained largely intact. However, highly idiosyncratic versions of the Neo-Nazi Aryan myth began to emerge at this time. The ideological mutations that occurred came as a result of neo-Nazi groups adopting a cultic-milieu existence in society’s fringe underground of deviant beliefs. Finally, British sociologist Colin Campbell’s overlooked theoretical concept of the cultic milieu may provide new insights into the process of ideological transformation in extremist groups. Reference notes (Author abstract modified)