Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right - Hardcover

The Encyclopedia of White Power is an extremely topical, useful and enlightening volume, which seeks to delineate the "Euro-American White Power subculture"... [the] "kaleidoscope of views" will allow readers to receive a deeper and more differentiated understanding of the subject matter than would be afforded by one hegemonic voice...Jeffrey Kaplan is a fluent and often humorous writer. He has produced a riveting, fascinating volume which is informative, analytical, and sometimes very alarming; but which is also, in this reader's view, basically objective. -- Thomas Robbins * Nova Religio: The Journal Of Alternative And Emergent Religions, (July 2003) * On the whole...this is a solid and important contribution to historical and contemporary understanding of white racism, and academic and large public libraries will want to add it to their collections. * Booklist * A unique, engrossing, and sometimes astonishing work; its comprehensiveness and willingness to let members of the pertinent racial movements to explain themselves on critical matters virtually guarantees that it will be the best sourcebook on the subject for a long time to come. Kaplan's special quality as a scholar has always been his ability to gain the confidence of those he interviews: a quality exhibited over and over again here. -- David C. Rapoport, (University of California, Los Angeles) The civil rights movement has been limned and dissected in great detail for half a century. Now the much less familiar countermovement-white power-gets some overdue attention. Kaplan avoids both demonization and praise as he puts the radical right on the table for our perusal. . . . A mix of scholarly and participant voices give this volume a rich overall content and texture. An encyclopedia that is as engrossing a read as any novel. -- Timothy Miller, University of Kansas This reviewer would highly recommend Kaplan's encyclopedia for library reference collections. In addition, this volume would serve as a helpful compendium to students and researchers trying to deal with the breadth of philosophies and organizations in the white power movement....This volume is a must for researchers in the field....Kaplan's volume is an accessible way to see the movement through well-organized materials that emphasize the historical, cross-cultural, philosophical, and sociological aspects toward understanding the 'far right.' -- Stephanie Shanks-Meile, (Indiana University Northwest) * H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online * This is a fascinating, disturbing, and invaluable resource for all concerned with the phenomenon of white racism and neo-fascism in contemporary Europe and the United States. The great majority of the entries, written by the editor, Mr. Kaplan, are not only informative but also in an elegant and ironic style just right for the subject. The value of the volume is only enhanced by a few clearly designated entries and an appendix of primary source material by persons and groups covered in the encyclopedia. It will be helpful to users of this reference work to see for themselves what this literature looks like, and at the same time I have no doubt that most readers will close this section of the book impressed by nothing so much as the utter irresponsibility and intellectual vacuity of the rhetoric. Nonetheless, it is important that white power and neo-facism be understood. Recommended for libraries and all individuals involved with the issue. -- Robert S. Ellwood, (University of Southern California) For anyone interested in contemporary right-wing racism this volume is indispensable. The Encyclopedia provides a guide to virtually all the leaders and organizations that constitute the racist right in America and Northern Europe today. For scholars who specialize in studying the far right, the volume is a valuable source of primary materials because it also serves as a sourcebook containing major statements from leading figures in the racist movements themselves. -- Leonard Weinberg, (University of Nevada, Reno) This encyclopedia is manifestly comprehensive, scholarly, and utilitarian. Students, journalists, and activists should find this a solid resource-a worthwhile first step in an inquiry. It should be in every library. -- Howard J. Ehrlich * Perspectives * This book has much to recommend it. It will help one better understand the radical racist right, and it provides both commentaries by academics and original documents by important racists. Anyone doing research on racist white power issues or persons, or who just wants to know more about the topic, will do well to consult this volume. -- Russell Eisenman, (University of Texas-Pan American) * Journal of Church and State * The Encyclopedia of White Power is the only book of its kind, thus making it a crucial acquisition for all libraries. Its anthology of primary texts would compliment a variety of undergraduate religion courses , while graduate students and researchers will find its depth provides many opportunities to expand the current research on white separatism. -- Jeffrey Marlett, (The College of Saint Rose) * Religious Studies Review * This is a clearly written, well organized book, which provides extensive information about the complex political sociology of white separatist groups and should be required reading for social scientists interested in the topic....As a rule, an encylopedia simply serves as a reference book about specific topics, but because of the provocative content and style of this one, casual examiners might be induced to explore extensively. -- Christopher B. Doob, (Southern Connecticut State University) * Journal of American Ethnic History, Winter 2002 * The Encyclopedia of White Power is an extremely topical, useful and enlightening volume, which seekst o delineate the "Euro-American White Power subculture." Jeffery Kaplan is a fluent andoften humorous writer. He has produced a riveting, fascinating volume which is informative, analytical, and sometimes very alarming; but which is also, in this reader's view, basically objective. -- Thomas Robbins * Nova Religio: The Journal Of Alternative And Emergent Religions, (July 2003) *

"The demonization of the radical right ill serves us when now, more than ever before, it is vitally important to know all we can about this esoteric milieu's nature and potentialities...by...demonizing the many, we cloak the few, and, however unwittingly, facilitate the existence of evil in the world." -From the Introduction by Jeffrey Kaplan White power groups are universally vilified and feared. But to better understand the threat they pose, scholars and activists must try to better understand their disturbing ideas and practices. In this controversial volume, Jeffrey Kaplan brings to light the workings of white supremacy movements in the United States and Europe in the years since World War II. The first half of the Encyclopedia is made up of over 100 entries-many of them essay-length-describing the people, groups and themes that make up the radical racist right. Some of the entries are written by movement activists themselves, providing useful insider accounts. The second half contains original resources circulated within the movement, each prefaced and placed in scholarly context by the editor. These documents, although offending, are invaluable to researchers and often available nowhere else. Cross-references and an index make the information easily accessible. For scholars of race, religion, politics or social movements, the Encyclopedia of White Power is an essential resource.