As events continue to unfold in Ukraine, policy makers and practitioners alike are considering the potential impact on the P/CVE environment in Europe. There is a growing concern that the Ukraine crisis could cause new polarisation challenges in communities right across the EU and as a result give new opportunities for terrorists and extremists to radicalise and recruit.
In this edition of the RAN Practitioners Update, we feature the latest issue of the Spotlight magazine and the latest episode of the podcast series, RAN in Focus, which take a look at the changing nature of the polarisation challenge in Europe today. The Update also takes a look back at the 18th European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism, which took place on 11th March 2022.
Polarisation
Spotlight
The latest issue of the ‘Spotlight’ magazine takes a look at the topic of polarisation in the context of P/CVE. The publication, includes articles from, and interviews with a number of practitioners from the RAN Practitioners network.
It looks at the impact of events such as the Ukraine crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic; the challenge posed by violent left wing and right wing extremist influencing efforts; and approaches to creating a shared identity and building community resilience.
Podcast
The recent RAN Practitioners’ podcast series, ‘RAN in Focus’, takes a look at the nature of the current polarisation challenges in Europe today. The programme discusses the impact of recent events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, and approaches to dealing with it. The podcast hears from three experts, including Anna Triandafyllidou from the BRaVE project, Bjorn Wansink from Utrecht University, and Anneli Portman, the co-chair of the RAN LOCAL Working Group.
18th European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism
Remembrance
On 11th March 2022, the EU paid tribute to Victims/Survivors of Terrorism (VoT). The event, which takes place every year on the day of the 2004 Madrid attacks, heard the powerful testimonies of a number of victims and survivors of terrorist attacks. The event also heard from RAN practitioners who presented their efforts to support victims and survivors to overcome their trauma and play a role in P/CVE. The Remembrance Day was organised by the European Commission, in close cooperation with the RAN Victims/Survivors of Terrorism Working Group.
Find out more about RAN Practitioners’ support to victims and survivors here.
Statement by Commissioner Ylva Johansson
“We come here today to remember together. Because you are a community. A community not by choice. But bound together by the strongest possible bonds. Shared understanding. Shared suffering. Shared goals. And today we remember together as a Union. This is the European Day of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism.”
You can read the statement in full here.
Upcoming events
Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, RAN Practitioners will continue to deliver all meetings in the coming months online. For more information on planned meetings please go to the RAN Practitioners website.
A full set of meetings planned for the upcoming months of 2022 will be published shortly on the RAN Practitioners website.
Publications
Lessons Learned from Alternative Narrative Campaigns
A report, published in March 2022, takes stock of RAN Practitioners and others’ work on alternative narrative campaigns in recent years, noting new developments and considerations that need to be taken into account, before presenting concrete lessons learned and recommendations for practice.
Extremists’ Targeting of Young Women on Social Media and Lessons for P/CVE
A new paper explores which narratives and strategies are used by right-wing and Islamist extremist actors to lure and recruit young women and girls to (violent) extremism. The paper identifies implications for P/CVE in order to better prevent and counter extremists’ online targeting of women and girls.
An inventory of P/CVE hotlines/helplines in the EU
A recent article provides an overview of existing P/CVE hotlines/helplines in EU Member States, as well as the United Kingdom. The paper provides guidance to practitioners on how to search for relevant hotlines/helplines in their country and receive information about the support services available.
Hybrid youth and social work
A RAN Practitioners paper provides an insight into the new online arenas of potential radicalisation and their attraction to certain groups of young people. The aim of the paper is to enable youth and social workers, teachers, parents, and caregivers to become empowered actors in the increasingly digital lives of children and young people.
Contact Us
RAN Practitioners is implemented by RadarEurope, which is a subsidiary of the RadarGroup:
- Phone: +31 (0)20 468 06 08 (office)
- E-Mail: ran
radareurope [dot] nl (ran[at]radareurope[dot]nl)
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