The State of Hate in America: A Study of Hate Group Permeation in the United States by State

Author

Michelle Rogers, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

2-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Political Science

Advisor

Michael Fortner

Subject Categories

American Politics | Civic and Community Engagement | Other Political Science | Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Political Science | Race and Ethnicity | Sociology of Culture

Keywords

hate groups, hate map, population, internet, unemployment, SPLC

Abstract

This paper will analyze some of the statistics regarding hate groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has studied hate groups in the United States in depth for decades, developing tools and providing some useful statistics. They have developed a hate map that describes the quantity of hate groups in America individually by state and helps specifically identify trends in year over year comparisons. However, the hate map does not offer per capita breakdowns for a state or reasons for hate group permeation unique to the demographics and culture of each state. Factors and elements in conjunction with the hate map figures need to be considered together with the hate map to provide a more complete analysis. This paper will try to determine which state does have the highest amount of hate group activity per capita and offer some reasons to explain it. A few possible explanations that will be examined include tipping point thresholds, unemployment, and ideological cultural issues such as Confederate state status.

Recommended Citation

Rogers, Michelle, "The State of Hate in America: A Study of Hate Group Permeation in the United States by State" (2018). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2474