The Earl Babbie Research Center’s Division for the Study of Violence and Radicalization at Chapman University promotes the scientific study of the causes and consequences of different types of violence with a special focus on street gangs, hate crimes, and terrorism. Our mission is to promote nonviolent, evidence-based solutions designed to mitigate the detrimental effects of these social problems. The research we conduct is aimed at improving public awareness and understanding as well as informing public policy. As part of this effort, the Division produces book-length manuscripts, scholarly journal articles, policy briefs, presentations, and provides consultation to government officials, non-governmental organizations, and journalists covering stories related to different types of violence.
» The Division on the Study of Violence and Radicalization
Recent publications, articles and resources
Publications
New edition of American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement’s Hidden Spaces of Hate published in 2015 by Pete Simi and Robert Futrell.
Peer Review Scholarly Articles & Book Chapters
- Byrne, Peter, Pete Simi. 2018. On the Origins of White Nationalism. NewScientist. 34-39.
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Windisch, Steven, Gina Ligon, and Pete Simi. 2017. “Organizational [Dis]trust: Comparing Disengagement Among Former Left-Wing and Right-Wing Violent Extremists.” Studies of Conflict & Terrorism. DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2017.1404000.
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Simi, Pete, Kathy Blee, Matthew DeMichele, and Steven Windisch. 2017. “Addicted to Hate: Identity Residual among Former White Supremacists.” American Sociological Review 82, 6: 1167-87.
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Blee, Kathy, Matthew DeMichele, Pete Simi, and Mehr Latif. 2017. “How Racial Violence is Provoked and Channeled.” Socio, December: 257-76.
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Simi, Pete, Karyn Sporer and Bryan Bubolz. 2016. “Narratives of Childhood Adversities and Adolescent Misconduct as Precursors to Violent Extremism: A Life-Course Criminological Approach.” Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 53, 4: 536-63.
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Simi, Pete, Robert Futrell, and Bryan Bubolz. 2016. “Parenting as Protest: Identity Alignment among White Power Activists.” The Sociological Quarterly, 57: 491-516.
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Windisch, Steven, Pete Simi, Gina Scott Ligon, and Hillary McNeel. 2016. “Disengagement from Ideologically-Based and Violent Organizations: A Systematic Review of the Literature.” Journal for Deradicalization, 9:1-38.
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Harris, Daniel, Pete Simi, and Gina Ligon. 2016. “Reporting Practices for Studies Involving Interviews with Extremists.” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 39: 602-16.
Past and Current Funding Sources
- Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
- National Institute of Justice
- National Science Foundation
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Defense
Links to Additional Resources
Presentations
February, 2017: Simi, Pete. “Lessons from the Field: Studying Far Right Extremism.” Presented at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
March, 2017: Simi, Pete. “Hidden Spaces of Hate: Studying Far Right Extremism.” Presented at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. More information.
March 20-21, 2017: MaUS Strategic Command (STRATCOM), “Psychology of Terrorism” hosted by the University of Nebraska, Omaha.
April 2, 2018: UC Law Lecture Focuses on Terrorisum, Lone Extremists and Self-Radicalization. More information.
July 18, 2018: SOF Two-Day Symposium: The Rise of Hate, The Aspen Institute. More information.
July/August, 2018: Mother Jones. Inside the Radical, Uncomfortable Movement to Reform White Supremacists. More information.
August 7, 2018: PBS Frontline Episode. Documenting Hate: Charlottesville. More information.
Recent Media Coverage
Babbie Center in the News
- Ranks of Notorious Hate Group Include Active-Duty Military
- Neo-Nazis and white nationalists face powerful weapon: Irony (OC Register, San Gabriel Valley Tribune)
- How the seeds of hate are sown
- What Makes People Join Hate Groups?
- The media today: In search of the white supremacy beat
- They Left White Power Behind. Now, They're Haunted By Its Resurgence
- The One Thing Jews Should Be Doing To Combat White Supremacy
- Peter Simi On The Becomings Of A White Supremacist
- White Nationalist Groups Hone Narrative of Victimization, Point to Virginia Rally
- Why do people join hate groups? Former members explain
- Supremacistas blancos planean más protestas pero encontrarán un “muro de resistencia” (El Diario, La Opinión, LaRaza)
- White Nationalist Groups Hone Narrative of Victimization, Point to Virginia Rally
- The Psychology of Hate Groups: What Drives Someone to Join One? (Health Medicine Network, NBC News)
- Psychology of Hate and Hate Groups
- Psychology of Hate: Why Teens Join Hate Groups and How Parents Can Prevent It
- Trump Must Confront Hate Groups His Political Rise Energized, Experts Say (The Press Form, MSN, NBC News)
- How Someone Becomes A White Supremacist
- The Violence in Charlottesville / Debating ‘The Goldwater Rule’
- Protesters Gather in Oakland, San Francisco After Deadly Charlottesville Rally
- “The FBI has quietly investigated white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement” (The Intercept)
- “Guled Omar: the path to ISIS and the story you haven’t heard” Minnesota Public Radio
- “Guns and diversity: a recipe for extremism in Nevada” Nevada Public Radio
- “Inside the secret Nazi dance music underground” Daily Beast