Overview

Radicalism and Music offers a convincing argument for music's transformational impact on the radicalization, reinforcement, and motivational techniques of violent political activists. It makes a case for the careful examination of music's roles in radical cultures, roles that have serious impacts, as evidenced by the actions of the Frankfurt Airport shooter Arid Uka, Sikh Temple murderer Wade Page, white supremacist Matthew Hale, and animal-rights activist Walter Bond, among others. Such cases bring up difficult questions about how those involved in radical groups can be stirred to feel or act under the influence of music. Radicalism and Music is based on interviews, email correspondence, concerts, and videos. As a ""sound strategy,"" music is exploited to its fullest potential as a tool for recruiting and retaining members by members of al-Qa'ida, the Hammerskin Nation, Christian Identity, Kids in Ministry International, Earth First!, and Vegan Straight Edge. But, as the book points out, the coercive use of music is not isolated to radical cultures, but in political propaganda, sporting events, and popular music as well. Ultimately, Radicalism and Music shows how music affects us through our emotions, and how it triggers violence and enables hateful ideology.

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9780819575845

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In recruiting members to radical groups, 'you lead with culture and social bonding and then ideology comes to sink in, ' says Jonathan Pieslak, an associate professor of theory and composition at the City College of New York. His forthcoming book, Radicalism and Music, examines the music cultures of Al Qaeda, racist skinheads, Christian-affiliated radicals, and eco/animal-rights militants. --Ursula Lindsey Chronicle of Higher Education, interviewed for the article The Ties that Bind Jihadists (11/30/2015 12:00:00 AM) Espousing of violence is common to many. Pieslak shows how music helps create what political scientist Benedict Anderson called an 'imagined community.' Pieslak concludes that music can be dangerous, as evidenced by its influence over such extremists as Arid Uka, Anders Breivik, and Wade Page. --S. Zuhur Choice (9/1/2016 12:00:00 AM) One thing Al Qaeda, neo-Nazi skinheads and animal-rights extremists share: a love of music. In Radicalism & Music, City College of New York professor Jonathan Pieslak explores Islamist, skinhead, Christian Identity and militant environmentalist subcultures and finds music was often pivotal in the radicalization of adherents. He investigates the links between Wade Page, Milwaukee's Sikh Temple of Wisconsin shooter, and the racist hardcore punk scene. Pieslak's point is that music's power to rouse emotion at the expense of reason drives many dangerous ideas. --David Luhrssen Shepherd Express (5/31/2016 12:00:00 AM)

In recruiting members to radical groups, 'you lead with culture and social bonding and then ideology comes to sink in, ' says Jonathan Pieslak, an associate professor of theory and composition at the City College of New York. His forthcoming book, Radicalism and Music (Wesleyan University Press), examines the music cultures of Al Qaeda, racist skinheads, Christian-affiliated radicals, and eco/animal-rights militants. --Ursula Lindsey, Chronicle of Higher Education, interviewed for the article The Ties that Bind Jihadists

Author Information

JONATHAN PIESLAK is an associate professor at the City College of New York and the Graduate Center, CUNY. He is the author of Sound Targets: American Soldiers and Music in the Iraq War.

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