Right-Wing Extremism: Tackling the Exploitation of Children and Youth

The threat from right-wing terrorism in the United States and Europe is rising. While this is not a new phenomenon, its current manifestation and scale heighten a sense of insecurity, alarmism and the urgency of designing and implementing comprehensive policy responses that effectively curb its growing frequency and lethality.  In the pursuit of politically motivated aims, right-wing extremist, drawing on international networks, ideas and personalities continue to mobilize others and demonstrate an exceptional capacity to spread propaganda, magnify their message and ultimately outreach and recruit youth. The demographic of supporters of white supremacist, national socialist, neo-Nazi and other related groups embracing similar ideologies, is increasingly younger and increasingly violent.  How widespread and imbedded are far-right ideologies and organizations among youth? How have right-wing extremist, populist parties and movements being able to attract young recruits, with what strategy, with what rationale? What are risk-factors at the basis of their continuing attraction and what consequences youth participation in extremist activities imposes on larger communities and societies?

Guest speakers 

Henry Kopel, United States Department of Justice

Daryl Johnson, DT Analytics 

Bethan Johnson, Centre for the Analysis of the Radical Right

Peter Simi, Chapman University