The Correlates of Right-Wing Extremism [Summary of Our Book]

Following is a summary of my recent book with Michael Damion Tucker

In writing The Correlates of Right-Wing Extremism, we aimed to shift the conversation about right-wing extremism away from analyses that focused solely on groups, movements, or ideological currents, and toward a deeper understanding of the individuals who participated in these movements. We recognized that most prior research emphasized organizational or collective dynamics, often neglecting the complex interplay of personal experiences, life histories, and psychological characteristics that shaped the path to radicalization. Our goal was to examine right-wing extremism from the perspective of the individual, to uncover patterns and correlates that recurred across cases, and to provide empirical insight into the ways in which personal circumstances intersected with ideology and, in some instances, political violence.

To accomplish this, we conducted in-depth analyses of the life histories of twenty-five individuals who had been identified as right-wing extremists. We traced their trajectories from early life experiences through radicalization and, in some cases, participation in violent activity. What we found was that no single factor could explain radicalization; rather, it emerged from the interaction of a range of social, psychological, and circumstantial factors. Many of the individuals we studied shared demographic and experiential patterns, including being predominantly white males, often radicalized before the age of thirty, and commonly originating from suburban or rural environments. Social connections, particularly peer networks involved in extremist movements, played a crucial role in facilitating their ideological adoption, highlighting the importance of social context alongside individual predispositions.

We also discovered that prior exposure to traditional religious environments, military experience, and certain educational or occupational patterns often intersected with these radicalization pathways. While not all individuals exhibited diagnosable mental health conditions, aspects of personality, cognitive biases, or personal vulnerabilities sometimes amplified their susceptibility to extremist narratives. Importantly, ideology itself could not be understood in isolation. Among the individuals in our study, recurring ideological themes included anti-government sentiment, white supremacist beliefs, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism, often intertwined with personal grievances or perceptions of societal threat. By situating ideology within the broader context of life experiences, we moved beyond reductionist explanations and illuminated the complex ecosystem in which extremism developed.

One of the key contributions of our work was the identification of an individual extremist profile — not a deterministic “extremist personality,” but rather a probabilistic set of traits and circumstances that frequently clustered among right-wing extremists. This profile had practical implications: it could inform research, policy, and intervention strategies by highlighting factors that increased the likelihood of radicalization without stigmatizing individuals who shared some of these characteristics. Furthermore, our analysis demonstrated that these patterns were not merely historical. Contemporary events, including recent episodes of political violence, revealed that similar trajectories and correlates continued to manifest, suggesting that understanding these individual-level dynamics was essential for addressing ongoing extremist threats.

Ultimately, in writing this book, our goal had been to provide a nuanced, empirically grounded understanding of right-wing extremism. We sought to move the field beyond simplistic stereotypes or purely ideological explanations, emphasizing the importance of personal history, social networks, and environmental context in shaping extremist behavior. By presenting an integrative approach that combined biographical analysis with social and psychological correlates, we hoped to offer scholars, practitioners, and policymakers a resource for better understanding the individual dimensions of extremism and for developing informed strategies to prevent radicalization and political violence.

Young, C. W., & Tucker, M. D. (2025). The correlates of right‑wing extremism. Ethics Press. ISBN: 978‑1‑80441‑300‑5.