The Swastika Counter Project (Laurie Gries)
The Swastika Counter Projectis a public humanities project that tracked and investigated the circulation of swastikas on the streets of the United States between January 1, 2016 and January 20, 2021鈥揳 time period often associated with a rise of authoritarian figures such as Donald Trump, an uptick of hatred and antisemitism, and an intensification of white nationalist efforts. Through a longitudinal study of news media, social media, and other sources, over 1300 swastika incidents were identified and then analyzed, visualized, and mapped in order to deepen understanding of the swastika鈥檚 contemporary functions in the United States. Key findings from this study, as well as interactive maps, graphs, reports, open-access data, and educational resources, are available for viewing on the data advocacy website . This project reveals how the swastika is still very much alive, circulating听as a rhetorical mark that spreads multidirectional hate and triggers a multiplicity of harmful consequences for Jewish and other minoritized communities across the U.S..