Counter-Extremism

The growth of extremism – violent and non-violent – is one of the key social and political challenges facing Western societies today. Far right political parties are making headway in elections across Europe, populist sentiments are circulating, extremist groups and networks are growing in confidence, and terrorist groups and lone wolf individuals of different kinds continue to aim to commit violent acts and strike terror into communities.

ISD’s work in this area seeks to develop solutions that tackle the political, social, cultural and economic drivers together, and which act on all levels – from high-level strategic interventions, through to practical civil society activities at the street level.

This area of work includes the following projects and initiatives:

The PPN is a network of eight EU countries which brings together policy planners from security and integration ministries, taking a comprehensive approach to the challenges of radicalisation and social polarisation.

ISD has developed and launched this unique online resource aimed at policy makers working on radicalisation and polarisation.

In 2012, ISD will launch a new programme of work to enhance understanding of the threat from the far right, and help policy makers to develop effective responses.

Phoenix explores the moral, philosophical and practical underpinnings for developing a more robust and confident centre ground capable of marginalising different ideological extremes.