Effective against the far right. Evidence-based strategies for dealing with the far right

At the beginning of 2024, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across Germany against the rise of the far right in parliaments and the increase in right-wing extremist violence, most recently directed against politicians and campaign workers for democratic parties. The demonstrators called for cohesion in the face of increasing social division and advocated peaceful and democratic coexistence. Their protests ranged from major cities in western Germany to small towns in eastern Germany.

The question of which forms of engagement are effective against right-wing extremism is not only being asked by politicians from democratic parties, but also by those involved in clubs and associations, from large trade unions to local sports clubs and small initiatives. However, both in the public debate and in academic research, the focus is narrowed to parties and their strategies as well as the protection of institutions such as the courts. Even though the social sciences are discussing the effects of different strategies on the rise of the far right, there is still a lack of systematic overviews of civil society strategies.

The transfer project “Effective against the far right” addresses this gap by linking scientific evidence, civil society experience and practical recommendations for action in a transdisciplinary framework. The aim is to develop and communicate the current state of knowledge in civil society and academia.

The transfer project consists of three components that follow a transdisciplinary approach. The aim is not only to communicate research findings, but also to develop strategies against right-wing extremism together with civil society.

The first component is a scientific study in which we summarize the current state of scientific and civil society knowledge on dealing with the extreme right. The second and central component of the project is a transdisciplinary transfer workshop. At this workshop, the findings from the scientific study will be discussed with representatives of various civil society organizations and practical strategies will be developed. The third component is to prepare the results of the transfer workshop for the general public. The aim is to create concise guidelines for successful strategies against the extreme right.

The aim of the project is to strengthen civil society actors in their dealings with the far right and increase their ability to act. In view of the upcoming federal elections in 2025 and the state elections in East Germany in the fall of 2024, well-founded strategies for action are extremely relevant. The question of how to deal effectively with the far right does not only concern the parliamentary and legal level, but will also have a direct impact on civil society actors and their actions.

The target group of the project are actors from different fields of civil society who can act as multipliers in their organizations. They are to be involved in the project in a participatory manner with their experience and knowledge through the transfer workshop.