Sovereign Citizen Ideology

Sovereign citizens are an anti-government movement steadily expanding across the United States and many other parts of the world. A subculture of anti-government extremists, sovereign citizens falsely deny the legitimacy of government and law, believing their interpretation of society’s laws supersede all others. A much-needed introduction to Sovereign Citizen ideology in book form, this study spotlights the prevalence and scope of sovereign citizen involvement in the January 6^th Capitol insurrection.

The January 6^th Congressional Committee reported that only two insurrectionists were sovereign citizens. Providing a more comprehensive review of their participation in the attack since that time, Christine Sarteschi draws together hours of access to court records to unveil that the correct number was much higher. Highlighting the nature of their participation in the riot, this study also details the use of sovereign citizen tactics and their interactions with court officials during the adjudication process. Addressing a topic that is underexplored yet increasingly relevant as the growth in this movement continues unabated in the United States and abroad, Sarteschi extends our knowledge of known sovereign citizen cases and also provides a practical resource for identifying and countering sovereign citizen tactics.

Written for scholars and students of criminal justice, criminology, social work, psychology, forensic psychology and other related disciplines, Sovereign Citizen Ideology is crucial for understanding right wing extremism and social movements.

Christine Sarteschi is Full Professor of Social Work and Criminology at Chatham University, USA. She is an internationally recognized expert on extremism including sovereign citizens and related extremist groups including their intersection with QAnon. Dr. Sarteschi’s work has been featured in national and international news outlets and documentaries.