Webinar: "Extremism and Education" 8 December 2021

Friday, November 26, 2021 - 15:00

Knowing how to explore issues relating to various kinds of 'extremism' in educational settings is challenging. We think of extremism in terms of a constellation of factors, often including a desire for purity of identity, intolerance of difference, espoused hatred of other groups, dogmatism, refusal to listen to others' perspectives, resentment, and world view of being wronged. We also need to remember that young people experiment with different positions for different reasons, and extremism is not the same as being 'radical', but some of these positions can cause harm to others. However, educators cannot be expected to solve the world's problems, and it's important not to have 'extreme' counter-reactions to extremism but to have a varied approach that sometimes needs to de-escalate but that always educates.

In this half-day webinar, we'll share our experiences as part of the EDURAD project, including the diverse range of knowledge and expertise shared by teachers, youth and social workers, and NGOs. Together, we'll explore how educators can engage with and unpack these issues educationally. Our keynote speakers Prof. Gert Biesta, Ciaran O'Connor, and Prof. Anna Hickey-Moody, will reflect on the question of extremism and education, the issues of online extremism, and ways to cultivate creative refusals of extremist discourse. The webinar will also present ways of unpacking the feelings that may drive young people to take up certain positions and ideas, make certain statements online and in-person, and the silences or assumptions from
practitioners and society surrounding
'extremism'. Register here.