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  • © 2017

Fanaticism, Racism, and Rage Online

Corrupting the Digital Sphere

Palgrave Macmillan

Authors:

  • One of the first books to explore how the democratization of the public square on a global scale has caused a resurgence and successful transformation of hate groups across the web

  • Examines the structure, discourse, and approaches of 25 leading hate websites ranging from blatant to invasive faux-social networks, racist political blogs, and even “encyclopedic” domains

  • Looks to some of the educational initiatives and organizations that are leading the critical anti-hate movement

  • Underscores the need for a digital social responsibility among today’s web users and producers

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
  2. Introduction

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 1-14
  3. From Bookshelves to Desktops

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 15-24
  4. Hate Speech in the Information Age

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 25-39
  5. Virtual Pleasure Island

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 41-56
  6. The Websites

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 57-86
  7. Hate in the Open

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 87-105
  8. Deceit by Design: A Two-Part Analysis

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 107-139
  9. Preserving the Digital Sphere

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 141-158
  10. Conclusion

    • Adam Klein
    Pages 159-167
  11. Back Matter

    Pages 169-189

About this book

Fanaticism, Racism, and Rage Online is a critical exploration of digital hate culture and its myriad infiltrations into the modern online community. The book examines radical movements that have emerged both on the fringes of the Internet, as well as throughout the web’s most popular spaces where extremist voices now intermix with mainstream politics and popular culture. This investigation brings to light the different forms of extremist culture on the web, from the blatant hate websites, to the much more invasive faux-social networks, racist political blogs, and pseudo-scientific domains.

Reviews

“For anyone who wants a clearer understanding of these master communicators polluting American cyberspace and civic life, this is an authoritative and illuminating read.” (Cherian George, European Journal of Communication, Vol. 34 (2), 2019)

“At a moment when right-wing extremism has entered the political mainstream to the point where an apparent sympathizer now resides in the White House, Adam Klein’s important new book sheds much-needed light on the role of social media and the Internet in promoting the radical right. Increasingly, we are seeing how purveyors of hate employ savvy online strategies that have actually succeeded in recruiting killers like Dylann Roof, a white supremacist who murdered nine black churchgoers in 2015. Klein’s expansive book explores the frightening world of online hate, but also takes a serious look at ways to combat it. This is a book for our troubled times, and I heartily recommend it.” (Mark Potok, Senior Fellow, Southern Poverty Law Center)

“Adam Klein’s book takes us into the digital world of hate groups and reveals the ways that these groups have adapted to the online environment. He underscores the influence of the Internet in fueling fanatical movements and the importance of understanding this phenomenon.” (Thomas K. Nakayama, Professor of Communication Studies, Northeastern University, USA)


“Best scholarly overview to date, with content and analysis that anticipated the rise of the alt-right in the Trump campaign.” (Chip Berlet, investigative journalist, author, and scholar studying right-wing populist movements)

“This work is likely to be relevant for years, if not decades, to come. It is likely to be a major work on the subject and serve as a ‘go-to’ text on the issue of online bigotry.” (Stanislav Vyotsky, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology, University of Wisconsin, USA)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Communication Studies, Pace University, New York City, NY, USA

    Adam Klein

About the author

Adam Klein is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Pace University, USA.  His work on radical voices in media and politics has been published in Communication Theory and Communication Monographs. He has also been a guest speaker on WNYC’s The Takeaway, and a contributor to the scholarly news site The Conversation. His articles have appeared in The New RepublicBusiness Insider, and Raw Story.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access