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Examining White Supremacist Extremist Organizations
Activity: Defining, Attaining, and Benefitting from Whiteness
- Time frame: 30 minutes
- Setting: Best suited for in-class or synchronous online course
- Source: Chapter 7 (Learning Outcomes 7.4) from
Race and Ethnicity: Sociology in Action,
edited by: Kathleen Odell Korgen and Maxine P. Atkinson - Contributor(s): Daniel Herda
Doing Sociology 7.4 Examining White Supremacist Extremist Organizations
In this exercise, you will consider the prevalence and threat of White supremacist activity in the United States. White supremacist groups are a persistent problem in American society, and they are now more influential than they have been in many years.
Write your answers to the following questions and be prepared to discuss in class:
- Why is it problematic for people to identify strongly with Whiteness?
- What are some of the racist myths that White supremacists spread?
- Why do you think it is necessary for antiracist groups like the ADL to catalog White supremacist activity? How might society benefit from understanding racial hatred?
- What should be done about these groups? Should they be permitted to hold rallies and distribute propaganda? Should freedom of speech protect hate speech?
Note to Instructors:
This exercise may be best suited for an in-class activity, or a synchronous online class, where the instructor can direct the conversation and help students find the appropriate resources. Guidance from the instructor, including warnings beforehand and debriefing afterward, is strongly recommended. Ask students to first work in groups of 2 or 3 and follow up with a larger class discussion. White supremacist groups specialize in disseminating messages of hatred in ways that will be palatable to non-extremists. They often make an effort to appear non-racist on the surface (i.e., it’s about loving and defending White people, not about hating others).