On August 31, the RADIS teampre­sented prel­iminary findings from its ongoing short study. The study ana­lyzes the impact that current conflict dynamics in Iran and the Middle East are having within Germany.

Against the backdrop of US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the expan­sion of the conflict, the study focuses on the following ques­tions: How do these events affect dynamics of radi­calization and polarization in Germany? What new needs are emerging for practi­tioners? And how can aca­demia, security authorities and civil society colla­borate more effectively?

The insights pre­sented are based on inter­views within focus groups, involving partici­pants from the fields of pre­vention work, security autho­rities, and academia, as well as members of Germany’s Jewish and Muslim commu­nities.

These discussions revealed that October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war remain a profound turning point for many. The developments since spring 2026 have noticeably intensified everyday pressures. Affected individuals reported concerns about openly dis­playing political or religious affi­liations. Researchers, too, ex­pressed fear that they could no longer freely voice certain opinions due to the risk of stig­matization or repu­tational damage. Alongside this growing self-­censorship and a subtle inability to find the right words, digital develop­ments are further exacer­bating the pressure. While radical narratives spread, artificial intelli­gence is increasingly serving as a new source of guidance on complex conflict issues – a trend partici­pants view as a risk.

To address these com­plex challenges, they called for the develop­ment of practical competen­cies in educational settings – in order to distinguish between provocations from discriminating ideologies in schools –, as well as protected spaces that foster dialogue and reliable structures for the practical transfer of knowledge. Both, the focus groups and the participants of the webtalk high­lighted that conditions for work in the field have changed: growing respon­sibilities and rising demands are colliding with limited res­ources and a lack of long-term planning certainty. Parti­cularly in light of current conflicts, the need for struc­tures that are both reliable and flexible is becoming in­creasingly urgent.

The full short study will be pub­lished this winter in German and English.