Today’s news cycles are filled with stories of polarizing information, soundbites, opposing viewpoints, and shocking current events. Where is the surge of right-wing extremism coming from? And how far does it extend into media, culture, and identity?
This episode answers these questions and more. It also features an introduction by SOC Dean Sam Fulwood, and a conversation between the following panelists:
Kurt Braddock, Ph.D
Asst. Prof. in the School of Communication
Prof. Braddock studies the way that language and words affect radicalization processes, and how language can be used to counteract radicalization processes. He also studies how propaganda and messaging affect people psychologically, and inspire them to engage in violence on behalf of their radical ideologies.
Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Ph.D
Sociologist and Prof. in the School of Public Affairs and School of Education
Co-Founder and Director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL)
Prof. Miller-Idriss studies symbols and youth cultures, communication systems and signs systems through iconography, graffiti, tshirts, memes, and youth culture. Her personal research also focuses on the far right.
The Lab focuses on interventions across the ideological spectrum. It looks at disinformation, propaganda, persuasive extremist tactics, and how to interrupt them.
Brian Hughes, Ph.D
Research Assistant Prof. in the School of Public Affairs
Co-Founder and Associate Director of PERIL
Prof. Hughes studies digital communication technologies and their interaction with political and religious extremism and fringe cultures. He focuses on how fringe cultures and extremist individuals and movements use communication technology (digital), and how the affordances of digital communication technology shape the outlooks, operational styles, identity, and selfhood that these extremist groups develop and evolve over time.
The work at PERIL centers the needs of victims and survivors of this violence.

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