What is Political Extremism?

Liberal democracies of North America, Europe and Australasia throughout the twentieth century have experienced a variety of forms of extremism and radicalism that have shaped mainstream political thinking as well as cultural norms.  To comprehend modern governmental and societal systems researchers must understand the environment that created them, their origins, and their adversaries.  In the series Political Extremism and Radicalism Gale provides insight on unorthodox (by contemporary standards), fringe groups from both the right and left of the political spectrum through rare, hard to access primary sources.  Content supports scholars and students answering questions on philosophical, social, political and economic ideologies as well as on contemporary issues surrounding gender, sexuality, race, religion, civil rights, universal suffrage, and much more.

A 2022 SIIA CODiE Award Winner: Best Library Reference or Educational Database

FEATURED REVIEW

"A comprehensive archive of over one million pages of primary sources, Gale’s summation of ideological renegades incorporates digitized media materials and cartoons, campaign leaflets and mottos, oral histories and transcripts, and other audio recordings. The database is divided into two parts, one covering right-wing, unorthodox, and fascist polarization in the U.S., UK, Europe, and Australia in the twentieth century, and the other, to be completed in July 2021, focusing on far-right groups in the U.S. Topics run the gamut of human concerns: the metric system, Synanon, neo-Nazis, mixed race children, anti-vaxxers, transgender suppression, Black Panthers, medical marijuana, fluoridation, Armageddon, and the ACLU. Downloadable citations preserve reference perusals of such subjects as Mormonism, Vatican probes, white slavery, compulsory castration, nudity, sensitivity training, and the Unabomber. The online resource surveys the impact of fringe politics nationally and across borders from a global perspective. An invaluable boon to college, graduate, and postgraduate coursework, Gale’s database sets a high academic standard for innovative research and analysis featuring diversity in political science, sociology, history, religion, and gender studies".  — Mary Ellen Snodgrass published in Booklist May 15 2021

Product Features & Tools

Term Frequency

Researchers can see the frequency of search terms within sets of content to begin identifying central themes and assessing how individuals, events, and ideas interact and develop over time.

Topic Finder

By grouping commonly occurring themes, this tool reveals hidden connections within search terms—helping to shape research by integrating diverse content with relevant information.

Cross-Search Capability

Search across the content of complementary primary source products in one intuitive environment, enabling innovative new research connections.

Learn more about the Gale Primary Sources Platform » »