Is There a Wave of Right-Wing Terrorism? A Review Article

This review article examines whether right-wing terrorism in the United States and other countries constitutes a long-lasting “wave” comparable to anarchist, jihadist, and other causes that led to extremist violence. Past waves offer many lessons for understanding, and countering, the current right-wing terrorist surge. The various right-wing movement’s uses of technology, fragmentation into numerous groups and individual actors, and potential sources of decline—especially their regular interactions with law enforcement—all have historical parallels with other terrorism eras from which we can learn. However, the media focus on the current manifestations of right-wing violence obscures the deep historical roots of the movement: its violence is hardly new or otherwise unique to today, and thus it is not realistic to expect it to fade over time as movements like anarchism did a century ago. In addition, the international ties of right-wing groups and figures, while quite real, are less extensive and consequential than those of jihadists and many other groups in the past. Perhaps the most important and most difficult issue is the overlap between extreme right-wing violence and legitimate politics. This is a vulnerability but also a tremendous source of potential power, magnifying the influence of violent extremists and making counterterrorism more difficult. Resourcing the fight against far-right violence is vital, as is harnessing the power of technology companies. Finally and most difficult, the political dynamics must change, with politicians of all stripes condemning the violent extreme even as robust, and at times contentious, ideas remain part of the public debate.