Understanding and confronting extremism: an open-sourced short course

The PERN team is proud to release a joint initiative with the United States Consulate in Perth and with support from Curtin’s Faculty of Humanities designed to build community resilience against extremism. This course consists of five audio module lessons designed for ease-of-access, with the goal of educating and awareness raising to empower community and business leaders, educators, police and youth in understanding and confronting the increasingly complex challenges posed by the rising climate of extremism. In addition to the audio lessons, we have included a teaching pack with summary slides and reading lists to assist students to broaden their knowledge of these topics and educate others.

The project has been generously funded by the US Consulate Perth and Curtin university’s Faculty of Humanities.

Slides can be downloaded at this link

Extended reading list can be downloaded at this link

In this episode, listeners are given an introduction to white supremacy and its modern digital variant, the Alt-right. Why are these ideologies resurging? What is driving their appeal? How are they appearing in Australia? What is their connection to misinformation? How do they respond to social alienation and isolation?

Contributor credits: Todd Morley, Kit Messham-Muir, Lachlan Howells, Philip Chilton, Sian Tomkinson

In this episode we explore the basis of disinformation and its link with conspiratorial thinking, what factors drive people to see the world through a conspiratorial lens, and why disinformation seems to be everywhere today.

Contributor credits: Adam Andreotta, Sarah Fulford, Leena Adel, Philip Chilton, Tauel Harper

The concept of the Manosphere has recently begun to enter the mainstream - a group of male-centric online communities connected by their hostility towards feminism and its impact on society. Where did these groups come from? What has driven their growing popularity? How have online influencers been able to leverage the user bases to make cash and further fan the flames of gender-based discontent?

Contributor credits: Ben Rich, Todd Morley, Sian Tomkinson, Eva Bujalka, Sarah Fulford, Michael Wieteska

Unfortunately, many efforts to confront violent extremism over the past two decades have led to the pathologisation and stigmitisation of large numbers of innocent people and groups in our society. Why has this occurred? What kind of lessons can we draw from the past to avoid doing it again? Is it possible to confront extremism without stereotyping and alienating people further?

Contributor credits: Carmen Jacques, Francis Russell, Leena Adel, Sian Tomkinson, Todd Morley

In the face of the rising climate of extremism, what can we do as individuals? This lesson discusses some basic strategies and considerations for us to consider when we are faced with individuals in these spaces and how to engage with them in an empathetic, productive and authentic manner.

Contributor credits: Christian Duperouzel, Adam Andrettoa