Subproject 1: Prof. Dr. Susanne Pickel, Institute for Political Science, University Duisburg-Essen
Subproject 2: Prof. Dr. Michael Kiefer, Institute for Islamic Theology, University Osnabrück
Subproject 3: Prof. Dr. Riem Spielhaus, Georg Eckert Institute, Leibniz Institute for Educational Media
Subproject 4: Prof. Dr. Gert Pickel, Department for the Sociology of Religion and Church, Leipzig University
Subproject 5: Prof. Dr. Hacı-Halil Uslucan, Institute for Turkish Studies, University Duisburg-Essen
In recent years, societal polarisation in Germany has been on the rise. This is reflected in growing tensions and mutual rejection between different social groups. A particularly significant factor is the (perceived) threat posed by “radical Islam” or Islamism within the majority population. Such perceptions of threat fuel group-based prejudices and increase the likelihood of reciprocal radicalisation, especially among young people. Some young Muslims, in response to experiences of marginalisation and discrimination, may seek refuge in conservative or even Islamist communities, which can foster radicalisation. At the same time, the visibility of Islamism and its repeated portrayal in the media amplify feelings of threat among parts of the non-Muslim population. This dynamic benefits far-right parties and movements that seek to capitalise politically on hostility towards Islam and Muslims.
In light of this spiral of radicalisation, the RIRA project conducted a transdisciplinary, multi-method analysis. It investigated the interactions that arise from mutual perceptions of threat between Muslims and non-Muslims and examined their effects on political culture in Germany as well as on polarisation and radicalisation processes.
To this end, RIRA recorded social attitudes and threat perceptions towards Islam, including prejudices, indications of polarisation in intergroup relations, ideas of democracy and religiosity. In parallel, the project examined the radicalisation of adolescents and young adults of Muslim religious affiliation. In addition to surveying attitudes, RIRA analysed the causes and trajectories of radicalisation processes. By looking at self-interpretations and interpretations by others, collective patterns of perception and social frameworks during (post-)adolescence – a phase of emotional insecurity – the project developed suitable preventative measures. The focus was on intervention options in schools and educational institutions, for which teaching materials and training formats were developed. RIRA also formulated recommendations for dealing with distorted media portrayals and interpretations, which can shape political culture in the long term. To this end, the project provided media-appropriate information material and empirical basic research on prejudices and their political consequences.
The (co-)radicalisation of adolescents and young adults revolves around a key turning point: the withdrawal of political support for democracy in Germany and radicalisation intentions, which are expressed in the acceptance of breaking the law and the use of violence.
In the course of these (co-)radicalisation processes, an anti-democratic political culture emerges. The development of (co-)radicalisation in terms of political attitudes runs parallel in phases and relates to the respective (political) community. It leads to a rejection of democracy in Germany and the search for a system that reinforces one's own non-democratic values. Sub-project 1 started at various points in this spiral of radicalisation. The focus was on threat perceptions, prejudices, the retreat into radicalised communities and susceptibility to supremacist ideologies (e.g. chauvinistic nationalism or religious fundamentalism) and their effects on the rejection of democracy and radicalisation intentions. In addition, interactions between experiences of discrimination and (co-)radicalisation among (non) Muslim adolescents and young adults were examined. Based on this, preventive impulses for action were developed within the framework of a science-practice network in the Rhine-Ruhr region.
In the second subproject, the first step was to compile all relevant studies on the topic of radicalisation and prevention from recent years – both in a national and international context. These results were incorporated into the literature and material database established by Prof. Dr. Susanne Pickel. The same applied to the results of the project “Mapping and analysis of prevention and dissociation projects in dealing with Islamist radicalisation”, which were processed by Michael Kiefer's project team.
The second subproject focused specifically on the radicalisation of Muslim adolescents and young adults. Using qualitative methods, it explored the conditions under which radicalisation occurs, as well as the underlying causes driving these processes. Both biographical interviews and expert interviews were conducted. Interviews were also conducted with prospective teachers of Islamic religious education. The purpose of this qualitative survey was to reconstruct radicalisation processes and identify possible intervention approaches in the event of signs of radicalisation. In order to close a research gap, particular attention was paid to the topics of conversion, radicalisation and prevention, as the potential for radicalisation is perceived in a special way in the group of converts. The aim was to determine whether Muslim converts represent a relevant target group for prevention.
Subproject 3 analysed Islam-related teaching materials for history, geography and politics/social studies lessons. Curricula, textbooks and supplementary (online) material from secondary levels I and II were evaluated for this purpose. The analysis focused on the religious, cultural or culturalising and political implications as well as gaps in representations of Islam and Muslims. The influence of relevant learning paths and learning locations on the image of Islam was worked out. The findings were incorporated into the development of pedagogical concepts and teaching materials, which are available in German on the GEI-operated web platform www.zwischentoene.info.
Together with the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin, the project organised workshops with publishers and textbook authors and advised them on technical issues relating to Islam. The aim was to promote a more diverse and diversity-sensitive image of Islam in educational media, which presents Islam not only as a religion and theology, but also as part of a multifaceted artistic and scientific heritage. A series of web talks was also held as part of the project to discuss various pedagogical and school law aspects of dealing with Islamist and racist attacks. A brochure summarises the most important contents of the eleven web talks and presents teaching concepts on images, satire and humour in Islam, on dealing with images of violence as well as teaching recommendations from didactic experts for political and religious education.
The Leipzig based subproject of RIRA combined various empirical analyses of radicalisation and co-radicalisation with a particular focus on everyday life. Using secondary analyses, experimental survey designs, group discussions, expert interviews and participation in the RIRA population survey, radicalisation processes were examined from different perspectives. Building on the Leipzig Authoritarianism Studies, the project shed light on both social circumstances and socio-psychological reasons for radicalisation. The results showed that when the ability to act and control one's own environment is perceived as threatened, social thinking and actions change. Anti-Muslim prejudices and racist discrimination also shape radicalisation processes in the right-wing political spectrum. Above all, a tense social climate serves as a gateway to a spiral of radicalisation. The results of subproject 4 were incorporated into pedagogical concepts and recommendations for educational institutions. The analyses were based on the assumption that the perception of Islam in ethics and religion lessons had a significant influence on the image of Islam among adolescents. For this reason, the materials developed focused in particular on religious education. The Leipzig based subproject also took into account the specific social and political situation in East Germany, which is characterised by a particularly strong rejection of Islam, little contact with Muslims and pronounced right-wing extremist tendencies.
Subproject 5 combined the findings of RIRA with secondary data and systematically examined them with regard to processes of co-radicalisation and polarisation as well as their consequences. Among other things, it linked findings from the Leipzig Authoritarianism Study with data on political attitudes and religiosity among people of Turkish origin collected by the Center for Turkish Studies and Integration Research (ZfTI). Results from earlier studies on “authoritarianism and propensity to violence” among German and Turkish youth were also included.
Another central goal of the subproject was to use group discussions – especially with young people of Turkish origin – to identify motives for radicalisation and distancing from democracy, as well as the consequences of experiences of devaluation. The results were prepared for implementation in both Islamic and Christian religious education.
The RIRA project demonstrates that right-wing extremism and Islamist radicalisation can be understood as a spiral of hostile worldviews. The far-right casts Muslims as an enemy group, while Islamists hold the majority society responsible for discrimination. Anti-Muslim prejudice can act as a gateway into right-wing extremism, just as discrimination may prompt individuals to retreat into religiously fundamentalist environments – although this does not necessarily lead to a rejection of democracy or the use of violence. Nevertheless, feelings of threat and a loss of control, particularly when linked to negative experiences with public authorities, increase the likelihood of such developments. Bridge ideologies such as antisemitism or the rejection of sexual diversity further accelerate radicalisation processes. Schools are a crucial space for prevention: new educational materials and dedicated lessons on democracy strengthen young people’s sense of democratic agency and thereby counter radicalisation.
The numerous findings and results of the RIRA project have been published in an anthology (in German) (Gesellschaftliche Ausgangsbedingungen für Radikalisierung und Co-Radikalisierung) and in numerous peer-reviewed articles. In addition, a project-specific working paper series and numerous handouts and brochures are available on the project website. The project homepage is updated regularly.
Film "Project RIRA" | Duration 2"10' | Production Ute Seitz // Philipp Offermann | PRIF 2021
What is RiRa working on right now? At a project meeting in Leipzig in October 2021, Prof. Dr. Susanne Pickel, Prof. Dr. Riem Spielhaus and Prof. Dr. Gert Pickel reported on perspectives, current processes and challenges of the pandemic for their research. Read more.
