Episode 232: Pagan Extremism with Ross Downing

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today we are discussing Pagan Extremism, and especially Norse Paganism. Dominic and Ross Downing dive into how Norse paganism is being hijacked by white separatists and radical influencers, how the pagan extremism evolves, and how communities fight back to reclaim meaning and identity from the clutches of hate. Ross Downing is…

Ross Downing

Ross Downing

Ross Downing is an affiliate researcher of UK non-profit organisation Inform, and a registered subject matter expert with the EU knowledge hub on prevention of radicalisation. Ross specialises in extremist ideologies. He is co-editor of the book Germanic & Slavic Paganisms: security threats and resiliency with Kaarina Aitamurto, published January 2025 on Bloomsbury Academic Press.

Stonehenge, UK

Reclaiming Paganism: Navigating the Crossroads of Faith, Identity, and Extremism

Written by Elisa Garbil – 19.05.2025 In recent years, the revival of Norse and Germanic pagan traditions, often termed Heathenry or Ásatrú, has sparked global fascination. With roots in pre-Christian spirituality, this resurgence is more than a historical curiosity; it’s an evolving movement rich with myth, ritual, and cultural heritage. Yet, this revival faces a…

BlackPilled - Meadhbh Park

BlackPilled: Masculinity, Media and Incels – Méadhbh Park

Written by Elisa Garbil – 16.05.2025 A great explanation of what incels actually feel and think, which is often forgotten. It is important to understand people in order to help them, and Meadhbh has done that perfectly in her book BlackPilled. In addition, Meadhbh love for movies is incorporated into this book, which is a…

Incel, Laptop,

Dissecting the Incel Subculture: Between Marginalisation and Misogyny

Written by Elisa Garbil – 12.05.2025 In recent years, the figure of the “incel” has moved from obscure internet forums into academic discourse, media narratives, and public safety discussions. Initially coined by a queer Canadian woman in the 1990s as part of a support-oriented project, the term “involuntary celibate” once embraced a diverse community of…

Episode 230: Male Supremacism and Misogynist Extremism with Dr. Allysa Czerwinsky

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today on we’re diving headfirst into a threat vector that’s been hiding in plain sight: the toxic, metastasising digital subcultures, that are radicalising young men globally and fuelling a new wave of misogynistic violence. Hear the discussion about the risk of these online ideologies, the struggle of categorising, early warning…

Episode 228: The Scramble for Africa with Ian Linden

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today we discuss the New Scramble for Africa! Dominic and Ian Linden dive into the differences between the ‘new’ scramble for Africa and the ‘old’ scramble of Africa, how strong the US influence is and whether it is currently weakening – or not, the economic opportunities offered by foreign investments, and…

Ian Linden

Ian Linden

Professor Ian Linden formerly taught at the School of Oriental & African Studies in London and is a visiting Professor at St Mary’s University, Strawberry Hill, London. He worked for the Swedish Government in the 1980s liaising with the African National Congress in apartheid South Africa.  A past director of the Catholic Institute for International Relations where…

Africa, tree, birds

The New Scramble for Africa: Shifting Global Dynamics in 2025

Written by Elisa Garbil – 05.05.2025 The New Scramble for Africa is a term that has gained significant traction in recent years to describe the growing competition among global powers over Africa’s vast resources, strategic locations, and emerging markets. Unlike the colonial-era scramble that saw European powers carving up the continent for territorial domination in…

Chasing the Scream - Johann Hari

Chasing the Scream: The Search for the Truth About Addiction – Johann Hari

Written by Elisa Garbil – 02.05.2025 Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari takes us beyond headlines and criminal statistics to confront a far more complex and urgent truth: our global drug policies are not just failing and they are actively producing harm. While it may seem a departure from previous discussions on extremism or gender inequality, this…