Published: October 30, 2025

Introduction

In this video interview, host Dr. Amalia Mora, Research Manager at ISH, brings together Dr. Bethan Johnson (former ISH Postdoc, now Assistant Professor in the Department of Intelligence and Security Studies at the Citadel Military College of South Carolina), Dr. Kathryn Huether (ISH and Leve Center for Jewish Studies postdoc in antisemitism studies), and PhD Candidate Mukesh Kulriya for a wide-ranging conversation on the intersections of sound, politics, and hate. See our timestamped guide below.

Content Guide 

* **00:00 – 02:36** — Welcome and Intros

* **02:36 – 07:32** Dr. Huether discusses the challenges of moderating sonic content on social media, where music and audio spread far more quickly than text or images. She highlights the ways platforms like TikTok amplify hate through sound, making it harder to regulate. 

* **07:32 – 11:45** Dr. Johnson draws on her research into extremist movements in the U.S. and Europe, unpacking how white nationalist groups use music as both propaganda and recruitment tool, and how questions of dialect, naming, and cultural expression shape political visibility and vulnerability.

* **11:45 – 23:22**Mukesh Kulriya turns his lens to, and reflects on the relationship between caste, religion, and language to state power and access to public space. His insights underscore how music in different contexts—from U.S. hip hop controversies to Indian street processions—functions as a sonic marker of belonging, othering, and authority.

* **23:22 – 1:02.36** The panelists situate music within a global frame: white supremacist bands translating their work for international audiences, hate music circulating across languages and borders, and viral content spreading through decentralized networks. They grapple with the tension between artistic freedom and the incitement potential of music, highlighting how soundscapes can instill fear, foster cohesion, and recruit new adherents. Subtle strategies—like ambiguity in lyrics, beats that mask hateful content, and emotional resonance that make songs into “soundtracks of life”—emerge as especially powerful.

Closing

* **1:02:36 – **The conversation closes by tracing links between white supremacy and misogyny, youth radicalization during COVID, and the blurred line between cultural consumption and symbolic signaling. As Dr. Johnson emphasizes, music’s reach extends beyond individual playlists: it builds legitimacy, cultivates community, and embeds ideology in everyday life. More than just an aesthetic form, music is a political force that helps sustain extremist movements across generations and geographies.