Expert Centre on Gender, Group-Focused Enmity and Right-Wing Extremism

Country

Germany

Target Audience

Educators/academics
First responders or practitioners
Local community organisations/NGOs

key themes association

Gender/women
Violent right-wing extremism

Year

2023

Organisation

The Expert Centre on Gender, Group-Focused Enmity and Right-Wing Extremism is part of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which is a non-profit foundation. The projects are funded by donations, the foundation’s capital and programs of the German Government.

Type of Organisation: Other

Project description

A biologistic anti-gender ideology is an essential characteristic of right-wing extremism. Images such as the man defending the ‘folk community’ (‘Volksgemeinschaft’) and the woman as the stereotype of a ‘German mother’ are central elements. Such traditionalised gender roles often serve as point of orientation for Adolescents that enter the right-wing scene. Since to this day, gender norms pervade even in the ‘average society’, they often remain unnoticed as an access point to right-wing extremism.

In education, a gender-reflective approach is needed in order to be able to recognise gender-specific motives for entering the right-wing scene. Biologistic gender concepts need to be understood as central themes that stabilise the ideology. In addition, a process of critical reflection on sexism and antifeminism that prevails in our societies must take place. This will allow treating them as a serious threat to democracy, paving the way for gender-specific prevention programmes.

Specialised unit acts as a bridge between science and practitioners by bundling up knowledge and experience of gender-sensitive work on action against right-wing extremism. This knowledge is prepared in publications and educational events. It also advises civil society multipliers, projects and institutions on how to deal with right-wing extremism and anti-feminist hostility.

The primary goal of the Expert Centre on Gender and Right- Wing Extremism is to look at right-wing extremism from a gender perspective and achieve gender-sensitive approaches in all strategies and actions to prevent right-wing extremism. Right-wing extremism continues to be perceived as predominantly a “male problem”. This is highly problematic, as it hinders an accurate perspective on the power, influence and activities of right-wing women in Germany and therefore impedes the development of effective counter-strategies to deal with them.

Deliverables

Anthology

Amadeu Antonio Stiftung/Heike Radvan (2013): Gender und Rechtsextremismusprävention. Metropol-Verlag Berlin.

Essays

Antifeminismus, gewaltbereiter Rechtsextremismus und Geschlecht. Teil des Dossiers von Heimatkunde: Rechter Terror. Warum wir eine neue Sicherheitsdebatte brauchen (2021)