Geographies of Organized Hate in America: A Regional Analysis

Trade Layoffs and Hate in the United States

“…In particular, in areas where the white population represents a shrinking share of racial groups, this perceived threat may heighten the perceived economic threat from trade, resulting in greater levels of hate activity. As a majority group in the United States, changes in the white population may be particularly relevant since, “powerful groups can be susceptible to hate as they feel that their socioeconomic security is threatened by ‘outsiders’” (Medina et al., 2018:1009). Craig, Rucker, and Richeson (2018:210) conclude that recent research on the political implications of demographic shifts in the United States “suggests that whites experience greater concern regarding their racial group's societal rank and cultural status, which, in turn, can lead to a host of negative intergroup outcomes.” To evaluate this possibility, I interact the measure of trade layoffs with the change in the percentage of the population that is white from time to .…”

“…"In the 1990s, right-wing patriot and militia groups appeared more often in places that were losing jobs, especially in farming and manufacturing sectors" (Van Dyke and Soule, 2002 cited in Blee and Creasap, 2010:276). In fact, Medina et al (2018Medina et al ( :1010 argue that "[i]n the 1990s, the driving force of hate shifted from the farm crisis to lack of employment opportunity from the recession and fears that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would increase that trend." 5 Second, hate groups may publicize threats from globalization and actively attempt to recruit at the local level.…”

“…In fact, Medina et al. (2018:1010) argue that “[i]n the 1990s, the driving force of hate shifted from the farm crisis to lack of employment opportunity from the recession and fears that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would increase that trend.”…”

Fragments of an anti‐fascist geography: Interrogating racism, nationalism, and state power

“…Medina, Nicolosi, Brewer, and Linke () have followed electoral geographers by studying the far‐right quantitatively, using GIS to map the unevenness of drivers of hate groups in the USA. While we must not assume fascism can be traced solely to hate, their study nonetheless observes that motivations are geographically uneven, concluding that “the same model of hate cannot be applied across the United States” (, p. 13). A limitation identified by the authors is that their study ignores lines of communication between places, which has become a key factor in the spread of far‐right messages.…”

“…As such, the insights of these studies and social movement geographies should be combined to develop holistic understandings. Medina, Nicolosi, Brewer, and Linke (2018) have followed electoral geographers by studying the far-right quantitatively, using GIS to map the unevenness of drivers of hate groups in the USA. While we must not assume fascism can be traced solely to hate, their study nonetheless observes that motivations are geographically uneven, concluding that "the same model of hate cannot be applied across the United States" (2018, p. 13).…”