

Lawfare Daily: Russia and the American Far-right, with Marlene Laruelle
Nov 19, 2024
Marlene Laruelle, a Research Professor at The George Washington University and Director of GW's Illiberalism Studies Program, discusses the intriguing relationship between Russia and the American far-right. She delves into the financial ties and ideological confluences shaping this dynamic. The conversation highlights the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in connecting with U.S. Christian conservatives. Laruelle also examines how rising far-right ideologies leverage Russian influence and the critical need for regulating social media amidst domestic tensions.
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Historical Evolution of US Far-Right and Russia Relations
- The connection between the American far-right and Russia started in the early 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed.
- It evolved from fringe interactions to a more mainstream phenomenon in the 2010s.
Confluence, Not Just Influence
- The influence of Russia on the American far-right is often overstated; it's more of a confluence of interests.
- The American far-right has agency and seeks out Russia as a brand of resistance against liberalism.
Russia as a Symbol of a Pan-White Nation
- Some American extremists perceive Russia as a symbol of a pan-white nation, a concept rooted in historical white supremacist ideologies.
- This vision is transnational and ethnocentric, uniting certain US and Russian groups against perceived threats to their identity.