Repertoires of Contention: White Separatist Views on the Use of Violence and Leaderless Resistance

Abstract

Particularly since the early 1990s, some white power movement leaders have advocated abandoning leader-led organizations in favor of leaderless resistance. We examine the events leading up to this call that illustrate how threat is intertwined with the adoption of leaderless resistance. Using a combination of interview and questionnaire data collected primarily from white power movement followers, we examine views on leaderless resistance as well as the use of violence to advance movement goals. Our findings suggest that while there is support for leaderless resistance, most respondents believe that this strategy should be used in conjunction with leader-led organizations. While most of our respondents supported the use of violence, holding this view does not explain a strategy preference (leader-led organizations or leaderless resistance). Respondents who feared infiltration were more likely to support leaderless resistance. Although not significant, those favoring an electoral-politics strategy were more likely to prefer leader-led organizations over leaderless resistance.