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'Odinism': How white supremacists co-opt pagan symbols to further racist agendas in the United States
WTHR (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Sept. 19, 2023
Brian Levin, criminologist, civil rights attorney and recently retired director of CSUSB’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, commented on hate groups appropriating and subverting symbols, words and ideologies rooted in European pagan belief systems to advance their racist beliefs.
He said throughout nearly 37 years of continual work studying extremism, he receives requests to define Odinism, an ancient Nordic cult, about once every three years. Those first inquiries about ‘Odinism’ first began in the mid-1970s when, Levin explained, a widespread renewed interest in earth centered, pre-Christian belief systems percolated throughout the United States. White supremacist groups sought to realign themselves with more contemporary subcultures.
“Odinism has been around, in the American far-right white supremacist world for decades, but with different strata in regard to whether some folks just get a tattoo of these gods or symbols, or if they fully adhere to it,” Levin explained.
‘Right Wing and Europe’ and ‘Interfaith’
Voice of Islam
Sept. 19, 2023
Brian Levin, recently retired director of CSUSB’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, was a guest on the DriveTime podcast, “Right Wing and Europe” and “Interfaith.” He discussed the state of far-right extremism in Europe and the United States.
The interview begins at about 8 minutes and 40 seconds into the program.
These news clips and others may be viewed at “In the Headlines.”