Oath Keepers - by Sam Jackson (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In the past decade, America has seen the wild growth of the militia movement. after remaining stable during George W. Bush's presidency, the number of patriot/militia groups climbed from 149 in 2008 to 512 in 2009 before peaking at 1,360 in 2012. During this time, its supporters have engaged in protests, interfered with government action (with the Bundy Ranch standoff and the Malheur Refuge occupation), plotted acts of terrorism (for example, with a Kansas plot to bomb an apartment complex home to many Somali refugees), and carried out violence against law enforcement and civilians. Among the most visible and vocal of these organizations is the Oath Keepers. Formed in 2009, the Oath Keepers quickly became perhaps the most prominent group in the American anti-government patriot/militia movement, gaining notoriety for their involvement in the Bundy Ranch standoff of 2014 and the Malheur Refuge occupation of 2016. Along with the rest of the patriot/militia movement, the Oath Keepers has grown dramatically since 2009, and today the group claims some 30,000 members. They give voice to a recurrent form of American politics: anger and distrust of the government combined with a valorization of violence. Despite growing media coverage, the Oath Keepers and groups like it have received very little attention from researchers. Through a case study of the Oath Keepers and a textual analysis of the group's publications (an archive of over one million words), Jackson explores how the group uses core American political values and American history to interpret the political context it finds itself in, to provide examples for appropriate forms of political behavior given that context, and to gain support from more Americans"--

Book Synopsis

Since 2008, the American patriot/militia movement--right-wing antigovernment groups who portray themselves as fighting encroaching tyranny--has grown exponentially. Oath Keepers is among the most visible and vocal of these organizations. Formed in 2009, Oath Keepers gained notoriety for its involvement in the Bundy Ranch standoff of 2014 and the Malheur Refuge occupation of 2016. The group gives voice to a recurrent form of American politics: virulent distrust of the government combined with a valorization of violence.

Sam Jackson takes readers inside the world of the most prominent antigovernment group in the United States, examining its extensive online presence to discover how it builds support for its political goals and actions. Through an extensive textual analysis of the group's publications, Jackson explores how Oath Keepers draws on core American political values and pivotal historical moments of conflict and crisis from the Revolutionary War to Waco to Hurricane Katrina to cast its adherents as defenders of liberty. He details how Oath Keepers makes sense of the contemporary United States, how it provides members with models of political behavior, and how it lobbies the wider American public to join the group. The first book-length investigation of the contemporary patriot/militia movement, Oath Keepers sheds new light on what animates groups that pose a growing threat to American security and political culture.

Review Quotes

A groundbreaking study of how antigovernment extremism is reaching new audiences with fear-based stories that call supporters to vigilante action. Oath Keepers is a must-read for anyone concerned with this growing threat to the foundations of democratic governance.--Kathleen Blee, author of Understanding Racist Activism: Theory, Methods, and Research

Jackson provides the most detailed examination of Oath Keepers that we have, developing our understanding of how right-wing extremist groups rhetorically use the past to further their political interests in the present.--D. J. Mulloy, author of Enemies of the State: The Radical Right in America from FDR to Trump

Jackson's meticulous research shines a much-needed light on Oath Keepers--a highly visible but little understood domestic extremist organization. Jackson delves into the complexities of the group's rhetoric and activities, offering important insights into how extremists frame their appeal for wider audiences. An important text on the movement for years to come.--J. M. Berger, author of Extremism

Jackson's prescient analysis of antigovernment extremism couldn't be more timely or important. Oath Keepers is an essential contribution to our understanding of the growing appeal and violent potential of ever-evolving forms of domestic extremism.--Cynthia Miller-Idriss, author of Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right

Sam Jackson's Oath Keepers is a welcome addition to the sparse literature on right-wing antigovernment extremists in the United States. His concise but compelling examination of one of the major groups in the militia/patriot movement really adds to our understanding of how such groups conceptualize themselves and their cause and how their beliefs translate into action.--Mark Pitcavage, senior research fellow, Center on Extremism, Anti-Defamation League

About the Author

Sam Jackson is an assistant professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany.