Month/Year of Graduation
5-2022
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Dr. Michelle Black
Abstract
Hate groups that malign entire classes of people based on race, religion, sexuality, gender, or other characteristic appear in every U.S. state. Nebraska is home to nine such groups, one of the highest figures in the country on a per capita basis. While notoriously secretive, previous research and watchdog reporting has pulled back the curtain on hate groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan and various neo-Nazi organizations, positing theories on how and why groups form. Minimal research has described in depth hate groups in a single state, let alone a quaint state like Nebraska. This case study of hate groups in Nebraska fills this gap by examining each of the nine hate groups in Nebraska, as designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center. This paper provides a picture of how hate groups operate, covertly and overtly, within state lines. It finds that Nebraska hate groups run an ideological gamut, reflecting a diversity of beliefs as well as strategies and tactics in public and private. To conclude, this paper explores limitations and resources to combat hate.
Recommended Citation
Van Robays, Grant, "Hate in the Heartland: Examining Hate Groups in Nebraska’s Past and Present" (2022). Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects. 162.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/university_honors_program/162