Extremism, in its various guises, constitutes both a cause and a consequence of conflict; deepening mistrust within and between communities, and often contributing to outbreaks of violence and acts of terrorism.
- Serbia and Russia – far right friendships?
- Breivik – down the path of extremism and violence
- Lone wolf terrorism – learning from the Breivik case
- Europe – facing the extreme
- Multicultural crises, radicalisation and the enclave mindset
- On-line journalism – fostering a spirit of intolerance?
- We need to talk about Mevlid – Vehabije and extremism in Bosnia and Serbia
- Facing far right extremism in Serbia
- Separating religion and state in Bosnia
From militant nationalism and racism, to Christian conservative clericalism and Islamic fundamentalism, extremism is one of the main drivers and forms of conflict in the contemporary age. In spite of this fact, extremism remains a relatively under-explored phenomenon, especially in those countries where its impact is hardest felt. Understanding the causes of extremism, however, is one of the perquisites for both preventing and combating it. As an evolving source of conflict that transcends national boundaries, extremism in all its forms poses an emerging security threat for all societies.
With this in mind, TransConflict has launched a new initiative – ‘Confronting Extremism’ – which aims to improve understanding about the concept of extremism itself, plus the groups and ideologies that manifest extremism in their aims, rhetoric and activities. Confronting Extremism will, for instance, consider the socio-cultural and socio-economic drivers of extremism, the international dimensions of extremism and the potential for further radicalization of existing groups. Confronting Extremism will explore extremism from a variety of perspectives, including the impact of far right sentiment in Europe on the Balkan’s membership prospects. Confronting Extremism will also consider practical means for combating extremism itself, including the role of education and culture, and its various manifestations, such as terrorism and hate crime, by providing a platform for the exchange of tangible experiences from different contexts.
‘Confronting Extremism’ will focus, in particular, upon:
- Definitions – how do we define extremism?
- Political/ideological extremism – including the formation of new far right groups and parties, chauvinism, the “heroes and villains” attitude towards war crimes;
- Religious extremism – including Christian conservative clericalism, Orthodox church anti-ecumenism and Islamic fundamentalism;
- Criminal dimensions – exploring the connections between extremist groups and organized crime;
- Manifestations – analysing the threat of terrorism and hate crime, such as attacks on LGBT groups.