As its title suggests, this book attempts to investigate the foundations, goals, and consequences of a new political movement known as the Alt-Right. This movement captured the attention of the public in the months leading up to the 2016 U.S. election and has since entered into the national conversation. Since then, the mainstream media has, in typical frenzied fashion, made every effort to assail the movement's members and willfully misdirect the public with regards to the Alt-Right's objectives. Following suit, mainstream conservatives have vigorously disavowed and condemned the group; all the while utterly failing to mitigate the Alt-Right's growing influence . This is where Hawley sets himself apart and provides a balanced account of the Alt-Right's ideological underpinnings while addressing the more radical aspects of the movement.
The first chapter of this book outlines the Alt-Right's ideological groundings and explores the various, and often factional, elements that exist within it. Hawley's insight regarding the movement's predecessors is of the utmost importance when considering the Alt-Right's worldview. While it may use novel tactics, the Alt-right, ultimately, draws influence from previous movements and brands. These include traditional white nationalism, paleo-conservatism, the European right-wing movements, online neo-reactionary movements and radical libertarianism. While the connections between the Alt-Right and some of these brands may be tenuous, at best, it is important to keep in mind that the movement is not rigidly defined. It houses many diverse political inclinations, and often, these inclinations can be traced back to older movements.
The following chapter explores the first wave of the Alt-Right (Taki's Magazine days) and its gradual decline into obscurity. This chapter provides useful information on certain figures, but mostly deals with the origins of the term and how it was set apart from traditional conservatism.
The subsequent chapters deal with the more familiar manifestation of the Alt-Right and its relation to the 2016 election and mainstream conservatism. Memes, online transgression, and loosely coordinated attacks on conservatives are described in these chapters and paint an accurate picture of the movement and its members. Hawley recognizes that the Alt-Right has managed to stay afloat due the adeptness of its members in using the Internet, as well as their ability to maintain anonymity.
Hawley concludes with a discussion of the Alt-Right and the Alt-Lite. While the dividing line between these two groups tends to become blurred by new-comers, and is completely non-existent to leftist media outlets, Hawley does a good job of maintaining the distinction: The Alt-Right subscribes to white identity politics and the Alt-Lite is characterized by...well...cultural libertarianism? Civic nationalism? Some on the Alt-Right prefer to keep open lines of communication with the Alt-Lite as this serves as a way to recruit new members; a gateway drug, if you will. Regardless of the efficacy of this view, the distinction is important to keep in mind.
Overall, "Making Sense of the Alt-Right" is a well-researched and detailed account of the Alt-Right and is of definite value to anyone interested in the movement and what it means for the future of America. The conservative movement's failure in responding to the Alt-Right's presence is evidence of their dwindling influence, especially when purges within American conservatism have been, historically, concomitant of the movement. With the decline, and eventual fall, of the mainstream right, it is only natural to wonder as to what will take its place? The Alt-Right is, perhaps more than any other contemporary movement, a prime candidate for this position.
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Top reviews from other countries
Gillian Petit
Good book if you're new to trying to understand the ...
Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2018