Challenge Radicalisation

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Challenge Radicalisation

Radicalisation. Extremism. Polarisation.

What comes to your mind when you read these words? Could you spot the signs of extremism? If so, do you want to know how to challenge it and its narratives?

With Do One Brave Thing, you can learn how to identify the warning signs and to challenge extremism when you see it, with a particular focus on radicalisation among friends, peers, family members and the community that surrounds you in your everyday life.

You can make a difference! You can be the change!

DEFINITION

What is radicalisation?

Radicalisation is the process of adopting increasingly negative ideas about and increasing harsh action against an out-group that are justifiable.

(Source: RAN EX-POST PAPER Polarisation Management Manual)

Err... so what is radicalisation again?

Three things to know

01.

Radicalisation’s key component is to have negative views of a group of people based on characteristics like:

This group (the out-group) is perceived to be different and is contrasted with one’s “own” group (the in-group)
The most “common” out-groups are:

02.

The radicalised person thinks that acts against the out-group are justified and acceptable for the sake of the in-group*

* The group that the radicalised person identifies with - e.g. their ethnic group, national group or religious community

03.

Radicalisation is not a state. It is a process that a person goes through.

So there are two key messages

01. Radicalisation poses dangers for individuals, their community and the wider society even at the early stages.

02. You never know how fast radicalisation escalates, this is why it needs to be stopped as early as possible.

By the way, you shouldn’t be bullied or insulted just because you look or behave differently, right?

Who says who’s “normal” anyway?

Why do people radicalize?

There are various explanations why the radicalisation process starts and accelerates.

What’s for sure is that it’s the result of a unique combination of different factors like individual, socio-psychological, social and political factors, and group dynamics.

These can be categorised into two groups.

01.

Push factors:
External circumstances that make one vulnerable to exclusionary ideas

Source: RAN ISSUE PAPER - The Root Causes of Violent Extremism

02.

Pull factors:
Individual motivations and processes that make one receptive to radical messages

Source: RAN ISSUE PAPER - The Root Causes of Violent Extremism

Identifying radicalisation

Does radicalisation really exist in my personal environment, in my community?

How do I know?

Radicalisation can manifest itself in your life too!

You may not have noticed it yet, but if you pay attention, you will come across it in your everyday life:

  • in your community and neighbourhood
  • maybe even among your friends and family.

For instance, you might have witnessed polarisation in your community. This is when a community is sharply divided along identity questions based on an ‘us and them’ thinking.

Polarisation can pave the way to radicalisation!

Radicalisation starts with the common things which are part of our human nature like stereotypes and prejudices.

You have to be aware and challenge them!

If you feed them, they may evolve into negative attitudes towards, discrimination against and exclusion of social groups.

You can identify a person who is going through the radicalisation process through various signs.

The most important feature of the radicalisation process is that the person’s worldview is increasingly based on the rejection of and hate towards “others”.

Possible signs of radicalisation

Now, let’s have a closer look at the dangers of radicalisation.

Dangers posed by radicalisation

Anyone can become the “other”, anyone can be on the receiving side of hate, discrimination, exclusion!

If you are treated this way, there is an increasing chance that you will treat others similarly as well.

Hate, hostility, discrimination and exclusion weaken the cohesion of a community and disrupt personal relations.

Distrust, fear and anger become more widespread, the potential for aggression increases. An unintended spark can easily set the community on fire and start the spiral of violence.

This is why it is important to challenge radicalisation.

This is why you need to step up and counter radicalisation when you see it!

This is why you need to do one brave thing!

What can I do?

With a little help, you can challenge radicalisation too!

You should start by trying to understand the person involved în radical speech or activities. Having an open, empathetic and understanding attitude towards a radicalised person can go a long way!

Radicals were not born as radicals!

For instance, try to understand the radicalised person’s:

  • Personal situation and eventual problems;
  • Relations to their family and friends;
  • Social situation and eventual problems (e.g., perceived grievances and injustices experienced)

Communication is key to challenge radicalisation! Do engage in dialogue and provide alternative narratives too!

But first, make sure you feel safe!

DO's

Challenging radicalisation can be hard sometimes and requires some bravery.

Standing up for others and standing up against radicalisation is not always easy.

You can face backlash from people you may not know that well (or at all).

But also your friends, family members and others în your close vicinity can react to your actions in a negative way.

Standing up for the right thing is always worth it!

However, be careful and well-prepared. Bear in mind your own safety!

With a little practice, you will also be able to deal with contentious reactions!

And if you want to:

Follow us!

Playlist for Democracy

10 Ways to be Brave

A practical guide on how to challenge radicalisation in your daily life

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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!

Challenge Radicalisation

Video resources

Perspectives & Context

VIDEO

Fighting hate with Olivér Pusztai

In the video, Hungarian youtuber, blogger and LGBTQ+ activist Olivér Pusztai talks about his experiences with radicalisation, hate speech and bullying both online and offline. He explains why he thinks these phenomena have to be challenged and how he fights prejudices and tries to form people’s way of thinking about the LGBTQ+ community.

Radicalisation - what is it? Prevent, anticipate, react!

Here is the story of Przemysław Witkowski, a journalist and academic who was brutally beaten by a right-wing extremist in July 2019 in Wroclaw. The journalist reacted to neo-Nazi symbols and xenophobic inscriptions on the wall in the centre of the city. His reaction to breaking the law in public space was met with aggression from an extremist attacker. Przemek tells his story, talks about what happened to him and what consequences the incident had for him. He speaks about what ideological violence and radicalization that leads to extremism means for him personally. Jacek Purski from the Institute of Social Safety explains the process of radicalization and the impact it has on our everyday safety. Jacek Mazurczak (Institute of Social Safety) speaks about the importance of multi-sectoral co-operation in preventing and counteracting radicalization in Poland. The film was recorded as part of the DO ONE BRAVE THING project.

On hate, calmly, with Ionuț Bodonea

In the video, Romanian radio host Ionuț Bodonea explains how he learnt more about radicalisation and hate speech and how he realised that these phenomena need to be challenged. He also talks about how he and his colleagues try to prevent radical ideas from appearing in their radio show while still allowing freedom of expression. He encourages viewers to look for information and take a stance against radicalisation and hate speech.

Life after hate

Learn the story of Staszek, a former neo-Nazi, about his involvement in activities against extremism and radicalisation

Exit from hate

Learn the story of Staszek, a former neo-Nazi, about how he managed to leave this environment and start a new life.

The mind defends against radicalisation

Learn the story of Tomasz, a former activist of far-right organizations, about how he got there and why he decided to leave them.

Nicu’s story: an empowering story of complete change

This is the amazing story of a man s transformation. Starting the age of 13, Nicu was part of a neighbourhood gang that among other illegal activities, targeted violent actions towards ethnic minorities like the Hungarian and Roma. He was in and out of prison for 20 years. Nicu’s life changed completely and sudden when while in prison again, he met by accident his now wife, Simona, a young student at the Conservatory and Conductor of Orchestra.

Simona: How love is stronger than hate

In 2010, Simona was a 20 year old Conservatory student who played violin, and traveled Europe on music tours with her colleagues. She was preparing for a great musical career when she met Nicu, a convict and member of a street gang for more than 20 years, who among other illegal activities targeted ethnical minorities like Hungarians and Roma. Nicu is now her husband. Discover the story of how a woman’ love and trust, changed a man’s life completely and made him give up his gang and hate for others.

Radicalisation in school

Listen to the story of history teacher László Lőrinc, who speaks about his experiences with radicalised students and what teachers can do about it.

Do good for the nation - but how?

History teacher student and activist Attila Lénárt tells why he felt attracted by extremist ideologies and what made him rethink his values.

Falling into the spiral of radicalisation, how does it happen?

In this video, RAN expert Luca Guglielminetti describes the different situations and fertile conditions which may lead to the progressive detachment of one person from their usual social context and the emergence of polarising views which eventually result in extremism and radicalisation.

Disengagement is possible, and this is how it works

In this video, RAN expert Luca Guglielminetti describes how a person who has fallen into the spiral of hate, violence and engagement in radical groups can leave the movement to start a new life.

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