10 Ways to be Brave
A practical guide on how to challenge radicalisation in your daily life
Identify radicalisation
1.
Keep your eyes and ears open
Significant changes in behaviours, customs and habits can signal radicalisation. Usually, people involved in a radicalisation process tend to isolate and confine themselves in their own beliefs, becoming unwilling to engage with different opinions and condemning others’ point of view. Sharing polarizing/radical content online, false information and embrace conspiracy theories could be a potential red flag.
2.
Break your “information bubble”
Exclusionary rhetoric, hate speech, polarising and radicalising ideas can be spread online without control - quickly and widely. On online platforms and social media, it is much easier to hide your own identity, stay anonymous and spread hatred without facing the impact that this has on other people.
There is a perceived sense that there are no consequences to such behaviour online. On the other hand, we can become vulnerable to manipulation of online radical content due to information overload. We lack the time to process, understand and go deep into every piece of information we come across. At the same time, we can be enclosed in our own online “information bubble”, making it difficult, if not impossible, to encounter views and opinions different from ours. All of this leads to the erosion of social norms online, which in the real world would moderate the expression of radical views.
This is why you should keep an eye out for hate-inciting, radical online content by breaking your information bubble, by verifying everything you read online and sharing wisely.
3.
Get yourself informed and make an impact
In order to be able to stand up against prejudices, exclusion, discrimination and radicalisation, it is important to get yourself well prepared in advance!
Inform yourself on the characteristics of radical positions and the main views and messages on the topics most frequently discussed by radicals. You can find well-documented recurring themes. You should plan what you would say or do in different situations and circumstances: pay attention to the communication of radicals, and then, think about how you would argue with or respond to their claims.
It is more efficient and safer to be prepared and to think of the different options you may encounter in advance and make an impact with your counter narrative. Achieve change with the radicalised or radicalising person, help the victims and convey a message to activate bystanders.
To find out more on how to identify and challenge radicalisation, check out our presentation: https://onebravething.eu/challenge-radicalisation.
Reduce the effects and deconstruct radical messages
4.
Spot the signs
Radical symbols or slogans can be right in front of your eyes, in full daylight. Online news, a slogan on a political poster, even the message you hear on your favourite podcast can contain radical messages. Try to spot the signs of extremism. Radical messages are usually presented in a polarised way and demonize the other side, using insults and inciting to take violent action against an individual person or someone belonging to a minority group. For example, extremist groups often use encoded symbols and numbers to express their ideology publicly. Be aware of symbols, slogans and signals recalling extremist ideologies. If you suspect to be in front of a radical symbol, double-check its meaning to make sure you know what is going on!
5.
Listen carefully
Radicalisation signals can also be identified in the way people around you speak about current events. Listen carefully to what surrounds you. Pay attention to how people comment on divisive topics such as politics. Try to identify the tone and the sentiment they are using when debating these topics. Check if they are using harsh words or expressions to describe something they disagree with. Observe carefully their body language to understand if they are showing violent or aggressive behaviours. Finally, focus on the content of their speeches: are they following a rational reasoning or are they simply repeating slogans? Are they speaking favourably, supporting or endorsing the standpoint of an extremist faction? Radicalisation can be blunt or subtle. Deconstruct conversations and discussions and pay attention to what people say and especially to how they say it.
6.
Be critical
Be critical of what you read online and don’t get fooled. The Internet is full of tricky messages, be it on social media posts, online articles, forums or blogs. Make an effort to analyse and reflect carefully on what you find online and ask yourself some questions when scrolling. Follow a logical order, do some research. Is what you are reading based on facts and ascertained data? If not, you are probably facing an opinion article.
Read more carefully and focus on emotions – e.g. if the opinion shows strong anger and resentment, incite or justify the use of violence - and pay attention to details. If the outcome of your analysis makes you think you are facing a radical message, report the dangerous content to the online moderators of the platform. Speak with your friends, family or teachers to evaluate the possibility of contacting the police.
Be critical of what you read online and don’t get fooled. The Internet is full of tricky messages, be it on social media posts, online articles, forums or blogs. Make an effort to analyse and reflect carefully on what you find online and ask yourself some questions when scrolling. Follow a logical order, do some research. Is what you are reading based on facts and ascertained data? If not, you are probably facing an opinion article.
Read more carefully and focus on emotions – e.g. if the opinion shows strong anger and resentment, incite or justify the use of violence - and pay attention to details. If the outcome of your analysis makes you think you are facing a radical message, report the dangerous content to the online moderators of the platform. Speak with your friends, family or teachers to evaluate the possibility of contacting the police.
Measures you can take once you have identified radicalisation
7.
Contact the right people
If you recognise the signals of radicalisation in your relatives remember that there are many people who can help you. You can talk about this situation with your parents, teachers, colleagues or good friend. There are also many institutions which can provide you with professional support.
If the case concerns someone from your school, please contact your teacher or school head. Schools also usually employ psychologists and school counsellors, just to get involved in serious matters that require expert preparation. You can also ask them for help.
Don't forget about the police. Usually there is one policeman in each area who deals with local affairs and is the contact point – they are “community policemen”. Such policemen can also intervene in the early stages of radicalisation, when no crime has yet been committed.
You can get a lot of support in crisis intervention centres and from social workers. They provide psychological assistance and conduct psychiatric and social consultations. They are very experienced people who know how to deal with difficult situations.
8.
Never neglect your own safety
Being BRAVE doesn't mean being reckless. You should always know your own strengths and weaknesses and be aware of your capabilities. Never forget that prejudices towards a group always follow a pattern. It starts with not tolerating, labelling and stigmatizing “the others” because of their ethnic, religious, ideologic or any other characteristics, continues with their discrimination and exclusion and organisation of in-groups and out-groups and verbal abuse of persons or hate speech against out-groups. The process may escalate to physical violence, therefore it should be halted: the earlier the better. The earlier phase you step in the more chances you have to counter the radical views in a sober and dispassionate manner, the less hostile remains the climate of opposition. You should keep the debate with the radicals in an impartial mode to prevent that the communication changes to unfriendly, aggressive or harsh tone as that could easily lead to physical violence. Be especially careful if radicalised groups march on the street, as it is mostly about showing off their power and spread fear among others. Be also very attentive when you organise marches to filter out provocations. Be aware of the risks of online bullying which may lead to verbal attacks, or even threats to physical violence. In order to prevent the escalation of the communication and debate apply the impartial and neutral tone as that limits the possibility of the radicals to become harsh with you as tough speech might have negative consequences. Be BRAVE, but also, be SMART!
9.
Join and promote local inititives
The real potential to stop radicalisation lays in the power of community actions. Search for already existing online or offline groups or events that are organised in your city. Such networks and teams facilitate the exchange of ideas, organization of activities to counter negative trends and phenomena and will provide you with new perspectives and tools you can use. You will find new friends who share your opinions and if you stand up against radicalisation as a community, your visibility will be higher, and your actions will be more powerful. Is there no civil engagement in your city, even though extremism is an everyday problem in your life? Than it is your time to act. Be the BRAVE guy who starts an initiative, online or offline, raises awareness, builds community, networks or coalitions and stand up against racism together with like-minded people! Acting together will make you more confident and allows the community to use a wide range of actions: signing petitions, organising peaceful demonstrations or events to signal that extremism is unacceptable in your community.
10.
Be BRAVE and speak up!
Radicalisation starts with small steps that are often invisible for the population at large. Once these come to the daylight, it is time to react to them. Don’t be afraid, small steps from your side will be effective too!
Firstly, be aware of what is happening around you: are persons discriminated, excluded or verbally harassed solely because they belong to an “other” group? If no one raises a voice against such phenomena, the radical persons or groups will read the silence as support or approval and will continue to grow and spread even more hatred. Refuse to be the silent bystander! If they do not fear to express radical ideologies, you shouldn’t be hiding in the corner of your room either. Join others, generate discussions and everytime you spot the signs of radicalization, clearly express that you do not identify yourself with it in any ways. Recalling the urban legend, Neil Armstrong said as he arrived on the Moon as the very first person in history: „It is a small step for a man, but a huge step for mankind”. Take that small step, be BRAVE and speak up!
