Historian Kathleen Belew discusses white supremacy and political influence

Historian Kathleen Belew, an associate professor of history at Northwest University, discusses the evolution of white supremacy in the United States in her essay, ‘Bring the War Home’. Belew traces the movement from the Ku Klux Klan to modern racist paramilitaries, noting how the movement has transitioned from the margins to digital virality and significant political influence.

Belew observes that while white supremacist movements in the 1980s operated clandestinely to overthrow the state, the current political landscape has opened doors to institutional politics. She suggests that certain policies, such as mass deportations, which were once considered extreme, are now being debated as serious political proposals among both the far-right and conventional conservatives.