American Extremism: History, Politics and the Militia Movement (Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy)

This book uses the militia movement as a means to examine the complex relationship that exists between America's mainstream and extremist political culture. It focuses particularly on how the militia movement utilizes key aspects of American history to justify its extremist politics and activities. Drawing upon both extremist literature and interviews with leading figures in the movement, this book is a powerful exploration of America's domestic extremist movements. Overview: American Extremism Explains How At The Heart Of The Politics Practiced By The Militia Movement Is An Attempt To Define The Nature Of 'americanism', And Shows How Militia Members Employ The Myths, Metaphors And Perceived Historical Lessons Of The American Revolution, The Constitutional Settlement And America's Frontier Experience To Do So. Mulloy Argues That Militia Members' Search For The 'authority Of History' Leads Them To A Position Best Characterized As 'a Historical Historicism', In Which Political Interests In The Present Are Given Greater Weight Than The Demands Of A Historically Accurate Reading Of The Past. With Discussion Of Such Recent Events As The Oklahoma City Bombing, Waco And The September 11th Attacks Alongside Topical Issues Including Militia Conspiracy Theories And The Origins Of Americans' Right To Keep And Bear Arms, This Work Provides The Deepest Understanding To Date Of The American Militia Movement. Preface -- Series Editors' Preface -- 1: Introducing The Militia Movement: -- Where And Why? The Location And Causes Of The Militia Movement -- America In The 1990s: Paranoid Decade? -- Gun Control And The Sieges Of Ruby Ridge And Waco -- 2: Approaching Extremism: Theoretical Perspectives On The Far Right In American History: -- Defining Extremism -- Status Politics And Status Anxiety: Questions Of Causation -- Style: Characteristics Of Extremists -- Critique: Towards An Alternative Approach -- 3: Conversations With The Dead: Militia Movement And American History: -- Inheriting The Past -- Contesting The Past -- Accessing The Past -- Authority Of History -- 4: Revolutionary History: -- Citizen Soldiers, Militias, And The American War Of Independence -- Rhetoric Of Revolutionary Action -- Sacred Text: Militia Movement And The Declaration Of Independence -- Conclusion: Continuing Inspiration? -- 5: Republican Tradition: -- Lost Republic -- Reconstructing Republicanism: Basic Principles -- Limited Republic -- Resisting Tyranny: Militias And The Second Amendment -- Conclusion: Republican Legacy? -- 6: Frontier Nation: -- Going West: Militias, Independence, And The American Frontier -- Fighting Talk: Militias And The Ideology Of Vigilantism -- Homestead Ethic -- No Duty To Retreat: Militia Movement And The Code Of The West -- Remembering The Alamo: Militias And The History Of Texas -- Conclusion: Weird West? -- 7: Conclusion: History And Conspiracy: -- Conspiratorial Turn -- Notes -- Selected Bibliography -- Index. D.j. Mulloy. Series Numbered Retrospectively. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [207]-221) And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 10 Series editors' preface......Page 14 Introducing the militia movement......Page 18 Approaching extremism: theoretical perspectives on the far right in American history......Page 34 Conversations with the dead: the militia movement and American history......Page 51 A Revolutionary history......Page 63 A republican tradition......Page 106 A frontier nation......Page 152 Conclusion: history and conspiracy......Page 182 Notes......Page 192 Selected bibliography......Page 224 Index......Page 239 Education, Politics & IR, Sociology & Social Policy Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 Preface 10 Series editors' preface 14 Introducing the militia movement 18 Approaching extremism: theoretical perspectives on the far right in American history 34 Conversations with the dead: the militia movement and American history 51 A Revolutionary history 63 A republican tradition 106 A frontier nation 152 Conclusion: history and conspiracy 182 Notes 192 Selected bibliography 224 Index 239