Personal hardship and online isolation predict support for white nationalism
Over 13 percent of young white men in the U.S. endorse the core ideas of white nationalism. New research suggests this support is fueled by economic strain and internet isolation, not neighborhood diversity.
Approximately 5% of white American adults support the core beliefs of the white nationalist movement, with this percentage increasing to over 13% among young white males. Personal hardships and isolated online social lives are identified as factors that predict this support, rather than changes in local racial demographics. The study, published in Nature, investigates white nationalism, an ideology founded on the belief that white people are under threat in the United States and deserve more political and economic power than other groups.
White nationalism advocates for a demographic majority and the superiority of white culture. The movement thrives through informal online networks, paramilitary groups, and public rallies. Prior to this research, academics were unaware of the exact number of Americans who explicitly endorse these principles. The study's lead author, Patrick J. Egan, a professor of politics and public policy at New York University, emphasizes that white nationalist ideas have become more prevalent in American public life, but no direct measurement of support existed before this investigation.
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