The SMIDGE project will develop counter narratives aimed at the 45-65 age group, by analysing the various forms of extremist discourses and narratives across Europe through social network analysis, textual and content analysis of extremist discourse, and considering national and demographic specifics through survey, focus groups and interviews in 6 countries (UK, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Kosovo, Cyprus).
From this in-depth examination of the current state of the art, SMIDGE will produce counter-narratives, education and training resources and policy briefs aimed at promoting reflexivity, alongside multi-level policy recommendations and evidence-based tools and training for journalists and security professionals, who are key in presenting the counter-narrative, and addressing fake news and disinformation
In the framework of the SMIDGE project KCSS will lead working package 6 on creating the counter narratives. The goal of this working package is to create alternative counter content and educational tools to build awareness and foster reflection, by taking the gender dimension and intersectionality into consideration, and utilising the findings from other WPs to address the challenge of producing content attractive to the specific target group. In this context the project will produce effective and targeted counter-narrative content that appropriately aims at those in middle-age, to elicit positive reflection and critical thinking and thereby limit the spread and impact of extremist narratives.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 101095290.
Duration: March 1, 2023 – March 2026
For more, please visit: www.smidgeproject.eu
