Leaving is possible: The psychological and sociological mechanisms of desistance from white supremacist organizations and racist ideologies

The purpose of this study was to explore the stories of former members of white supremacist organizations and their abandonment of a racist ideology. Given the ability of white supremacist organizations to create an atmosphere in which violence against people of color and others is acceptable and their ability to articulate an ideology that resonates with a broader audience, understanding how people come to leave such groups is an important part of the research on these groups.A narrative inquiry approach was utilized to explore the experiences of former white supremacists. The six participants were from different parts of the country but all shared a willingness to tell their stories. These stories explored how they became members of the white supremacist movement, what their lives were like during that time, and how they came to the decision to desist.The stories were interpreted through the use of Aho's (1994) and Blazak's (2004) work on hate groups and former members of these groups. Psychological and sociological lens were applied to the stories with General Strain Theory serving as the unifying factor of these two different lenses. By applying these lenses to the stories, different themes began to emerge.The findings from the study extend the work that Blazak has done on this issue. Blazak (2004) had identified five psychological strains that needed to be resolved for hate group members to desist. This study found those same five strains along with five new strains. Blazak also identified three macrolevel anomie experiences that contributed to people's decision to join a hate group. By resolving issues with these experiences, people could find a path out of the white supremacist movement. This study found the same three anomie experiences along with two not mentioned by Blazak.The findings from this study have implications for further research on hate groups and leadership. More research is needed to determine how strains can be resolved in healthier and more mainstream ways rather than by joining a white supremacist organization. Leadership research can examine how leaders use hate, fear, and bigotry to motivate people to join a white supremacist organization. This research can also explore how leaders can challenge hate, fear, and bigotry as tools of motivation and recruitment.