Why White Supremacist Women Become Disillusioned, and Why They Leave

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between becoming disillusioned with racist ideas and/or groups and the decision to leave organize white supremacism. We explore a classical sociological puzzle about the indeterminate ways that beliefs and actions inform each other. Drawing on a unique dataset from in-depth interviews with former members of U.S. white supremacist groups, we examine disillusionment and exit in a volatile social world in which both beliefs and actions often change abruptly.