The Project

Extremism and radicalization

A new approach in research and preventive design

PARTICIPATION is a Horizon 2020 funded project aimed at preventing extremism, radicalization and polarization that can lead to violence through more effective social and education policies and interventions.

The project offers a holistic approach towards extremism and radicalization in order to capture and explore contemporary experiences of extremism and radicalization and proposes concrete actions, policies, and digital tools that will empower policy actors and practitioners to respond to a changing reality.

The project’s main topics are also violence, conflict and conflict resolution, transformation of societies, democratization, and social movements.

Overall context

Nowadays, extremism, radicalization, and polarization are frequent topics of discussion and study as newer patterns become increasingly evident.

Different forms of extremism have an impact on the European region and its borders:

  • far-right violence that emerged in violent football ‘ultra’ groups have in some cases mutated into militias, becoming integrated into private armies and at times state structures;
  • far-right online cultures have emerged across gamer platforms and image boards, sharing the same Nazi symbols and imaginaries that we encounter in the world of militia-inspired violence on Europe’s border;
  • jihadist violence remains a threat, however the period of significant numbers of Europeans travelling to join international jihadist groups has for the moment paused.

Participation will:

  • define new research methods based on a participatory fieldwork and a mixed method approach;
  • identify future perspectives and trends of hate speech, extremism and radicalization;
  • develop innovative communicative tools, educational approaches and community-based strategies;
  • improve the awareness of young people and communities;
  • collect data and developing a set of indicators;
  • developing policy recommendations with the participation of researchers, stakeholders, practitioners and social actors.