Dissatisfaction among the population calls for new prevention ideas
01.11.2022
Bourgeois discontent is once again forming on the streets, and an increasing radicalization of intellectuals can also be observed. Driven by fears of war, pandemics and economic crises, new and sometimes confusing forms of protest are also emerging. This is the assessment not only of anthropologist and head of the Frankfurt Research Center for Global Islam at Goethe University Frankfurt Prof. Susanne Schröter, but also of Professor Benno Hafeneger, educational scientist and right-wing extremism researcher at the University of Marburg. Both were invited by Julia Bechtluft from the City of Offenbach's Department for the Prevention of Extremism to the specialist congress "Parallels and Specifics of Right-Wing Extremism & Islamism" at the Ostpol on October 20. In addition to Schröter and Hafeneger, the Violence Prevention Network (VPN) with Islamic scholar Hakan Celik and Torsten Niebling from the Marburg-based dropout program "Rote Linie" were represented as practical experts. After the specialist presentations, new developments in today's protest movements were discussed with the congress participants in the subsequent panel discussion.
Today, these are anything but homogeneous; on the contrary, "the various right-wing, left-wing and other scenes used to be easy to differentiate," states Professor Hafeneger, and there are increasingly "mixed scenes", which makes it difficult to clearly classify the respective actors. The classic stereotypes no longer exist, "we see a macho culture among both right-wing and Islamist extremists, for example." What the protesters with a tendency towards extremist attitudes have in common is an anti-modernism that stems from the excessive demands of a fast-moving world with unpredictable developments. Overall, a great mistrust of the state prevails, combined with a rejection of basic democratic values. The Islamism expert and the right-wing extremism researcher both agree that this development is not limited to marginalized social groups when it comes to declining voter turnout in Europe.
Frank Weber, head of the public order office, shares this impression: "Unfortunately, constant and unrestricted access to information does not necessarily make people freer. With the help of actually useful logarithms, many lose themselves in the so-called rabbit hole of information channels that correspond most closely to their basic attitude. In a nutshell, this can lead to intolerance and hatred and, in the worst case, trigger radical actions. Tolerance and empathy fall by the wayside: "Where there is no room for the perception of other realities of life and attitudes, defamation replaces discourse and erodes the democratic values of our society in the medium and long term." Hafeneger also reminded the audience during the discussion that the imprinting process begins in childhood. After all, children learn by imitating and then naturally adopt not only the language culture, but often also political attitudes that are conveyed in the subtext.
Where should prevention work start?
So what can prevention work achieve on the ground, how can it start? Should the focus be placed more on adult education or how can the new target groups be reached? Julia Bechtluft from the Department for the Prevention of Extremism, supported by Professor Hafeneger, presented various scenarios and ideas on how this could be achieved with the help of employers, for example. Professor Schröter pleaded for a social debate that allows everyone to have their say, including those with extreme attitudes. This has been neglected in many media reports in recent years, including those on public broadcasters. "You shouldn't lose contact with people who think differently, even in private," says Hakan Celik from VPN. "You don't have to share the views of those who think differently, but you should tolerate and respect other opinions. Because only when people are marginalized do they run an even greater risk of becoming radicalized."
Everyone agreed on the assessment of the current crisis, which can also be a great opportunity for helpfulness and solidarity despite the burdens on citizens. It is important to strengthen the social resilience of schoolchildren in particular by continuing to focus on teaching values and promoting cohesion in schools and clubs through joint activities. After all, children must first learn to treat others with respect, resolve conflicts without violence and be able to put themselves in the shoes of others. Then they can also resist extreme positions. "Nevertheless, there is still a lot to do in terms of preventing extremism, the challenges have become more diverse and complex," explains Weber and Julia Bechtluft adds: "Counteracting mistrust of dissenters and the state at a local level is just as essential as addressing the new needs and fears in the face of the current crisis together with state, school and socio-psychological stakeholders. Above all, it is important to reach the new target groups. We are working on this. "
To this end, ideas and measures are to be developed with local stakeholders.
The Department for the Promotion of Democracy and Cross-Phenomenon Extremism Prevention (DEXT Department)
Since September 2021, the City of Offenbach has had a "Specialist Unit for the Promotion of Democracy and Cross-Phenomenon Extremism Prevention" (DEXT Specialist Unit), which is funded by the state program "Hessen-aktiv für Demokratie und gegen Extremismus". The specialist unit in Offenbach is part of the "Municipal Prevention Office" at the Public Order Office.