Spotlight Emerging threats

As vaccination programmes continue to be rolled out across Europe, and government restrictions in some places relaxed, we can begin to contemplate life after COVID. However, the work to address some of the long-lasting consequences of the pandemic on individuals and communities has only just begun.

In the last year we have seen the emergence of a new set of P/CVE threats. Not only has the pandemic accelerated a number of nascent threats emerging in early 2020 but it has also given terrorists and extremists new opportunities to radicalise and recruit. Our job as P/CVE practitioners is to recognise these emerging threats, understand them, and develop and deliver effective interventions and responses to tackle them.

In this Spotlight, RAN Practitioners and Working Group leads share their views, insights and their work in addressing some of these threats, including emerging violent right-wing extremism (VRWE) accelerationism narratives, a look into the new and quietly developing violent Incel movement, as well as lone actors in an increasingly transformed digital world.

Many of these topics have been addressed by RAN Practitioners through Working Group and small-scale meetings during the first few months of 2021. The insights and experiences gathered from these meetings have been captured in a series of papers, which will be published on the RAN Practitioners website in the coming weeks.

As always, we want to hear from you! If you would like to contribute to future editions of Spotlight, or if you have ideas for an article, interview or feature, please get in touch with the RAN Practitioners communications team.