Experts Convene to Tackle Radicalisation at SMIDGE 5th Webinar: “Radicalisation and Extremist Narratives – Quo Vadis?”

On June 12, 2025, leading researchers and practitioners gathered virtually for the fifth webinar of the SMIDGE project, titled "Radicalisation and Extremist Narratives – Quo Vadis?", to explore the evolving nature of online radicalisation and extremist narratives in contemporary Europe. Hosted by the Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) in collaboration with Inclusive Europe, the webinar marked a significant moment in the project’s final implementation year.

The webinar aimed to foster deep interdisciplinary dialogue and strengthen collaboration among projects engaged in understanding and countering online radicalisation, extremist narratives, and misinformation. Participants included representatives from SMIDGE, ARENAS, and OppAttune, exploring synergistic approaches to enhancing policy and practical responses.

Moderated by Dan Ilazi of KCSS, the session began with opening remarks highlighting the importance of collaboration across EU projects to tackle the persistent rise of extremist narratives. The session then moved into a series of insightful presentations by leading experts.

Sara Wilford, Associate Professor at De Montfort University and a core researcher in the SMIDGE project, presented an in-depth analysis of how conspiracy theories, misinformation, and extremist content resonate with adults aged 45–65. Drawing on SMIDGE’s social network and content analysis across six countries, she underscored the urgent need for digital literacy tools and platforms that foster critical engagement. 

Line Nybro Petersen (SMIDGE, University of Copenhagen) focused on the technological architectures amplifying extremism. She detailed her research into how algorithms and platform design facilitate echo chambers and hybridized prefatory extremism—where fringe conspiracy content blends into mainstream discourse—highlighting the “HYPE” phenomenon of normalization.

Simo K. Määttä (ARENAS, University of Helsinki) emphasized the social and cultural tissues bound with extremist narratives. He showed how such narratives intersect with discourses on science, gender, and national identity, offering recommendations to support resilience and resistance through informed policy design.

Kesi Mahendran (OppAttune, The Open University) introduced the Attunement Model, designed to detect and intervene in “everyday extremism”, the gradual normalization of radical views disguised as ordinary discussion. She outlined methods for attuning public dialogue and enhancing civic literacy through dialogic interventions, rather than censorship.

Following the presentations, speakers engaged in a dynamic conversation about overlapping challenges, algorithmic reinforcement, normalization processes, and the intergenerational spread of extremist ideas. They agreed that bridging research, policy, industry, and community engagement is crucial for building cohesive responses.

The last 15 minutes featured an open Q&A, where participants from academia, civil society, and policymaking reflected on practical takeaways. Among the topics were the measurement of attunement model efficacy, cross-project tool adaptation, and strategies to engage middle-aged cohorts in digital resilience training.

In his closing remarks, Dan Ilazi emphasized three core outcomes from the webinar. First, he highlighted the importance of collaborative synergies, noting how shared frameworks across SMIDGE, ARENAS, OppAttune, and other related initiatives can significantly amplify collective impact. Second, he pointed to the policy implications emerging from the discussions, stressing the urgent need to integrate digital literacy, attunement tools, and counter-narrative strategies into educational systems and media policy frameworks. Lastly, he underlined the commitment to continuing dialogue, with participants agreeing to organize follow-up workshops and public briefings to ensure broader dissemination and practical application of the insights shared.

As the SMIDGE project progresses toward its conclusion, the webinar served as a timely reminder of the importance of sustained dialogue, knowledge-sharing and interdisciplinary collaboration to respond to the dynamic nature of online radicalisation and to counter the rising undercurrents of radicalisation and extremist narratives in digital and everyday settings. SMIDGE, ARENAS, and OppAttune remain committed to translating research into public-facing resources, policy interventions, and community tools, ensuring their final outputs contribute to a more resilient European information environment.