Religion, Masculinity, and Ethnonationalism in American Active Clubs

Active Clubs are the contemporary vanguard of American White nationalist counterculture. They encourage a return to an imagined heritage encompassing religious identity, vigorous masculinity, and ethnonationalism. The paper first examines Christianity, fascism, masculinity, and melee combat in American far-right movements; case studies like the Christian Front and the Legion of Silver Shirts illustrate that Active Clubs are merely a contemporary manifestation of a century-old ideological strain. However, Active Clubs are unique in their theological plasticity: Coalition-building efforts across religious lines are visible in Pagan-Christian cohabitation in the “Return to the Land” settlement, or in the Great Plains Active Club’s call for “men of all religions rooted in the European diaspora.” The paper concludes with an analysis of Active Club Telegram networks to suggest that the embodied nature of “White Nationalism 3.0” is a deliberate recruitment tool for young men who have grown tired of being perceived as “keyboard warriors.”