Grassroot Communities

The Power and Challenge of Grassroots Organisations in Community Development

Written by Elisa Garbil – 29.05.2025 Grassroots organisations have emerged as vital engines of change in communities around the world. These entities, often volunteer-led and deeply embedded in local contexts, deliver a broad array of services that formal institutions struggle to reach, from youth empowerment and mental health to housing, public health, and civic participation….

Dr. Aaron Winter

Aaron Winter

Dr. Aaron Winter (BA Hons. York; MA Warwick, DPhil Sussex) is Senior Lecturer in Sociology (Race and Anti-Racism), Deputy Doctoral Director and Director of the Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities (CASEI) at Lancaster University. He previously taught at the Universities of Brighton, Sussex, Abertay and East London. His research is on the…

online, extremism, apps, instagram, Facebook, google, linkedin, x, twitter

Mainstreaming Hate: How Right-Wing Extremism Became a Digital and Political Force

Written by Elisa Garbil – 22.05.2025 In recent years, right-wing extremism has evolved from fringe ideology into a persistent force that influences public discourse, political behaviour, and even policy. The transition from the margins to the mainstream hasn’t happened by accident. It’s the result of a complex interplay between online radicalisation, conspiracy thinking, and the…

Episode 233: What Can Sociology Say about Right-Wing Extremism and the Mainstreaming of Racism and the Far-Right with Aaron Winter

Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today we are cutting through the noise to tackle one of the most urgent and uncomfortable realities of our time: how hate has gone mainstream. From anonymous forums to prime-time politics, far-right extremism is no longer a fringe threat — it’s a digital, cultural, and political force shaping our democracies. Dominic…

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…

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…

Episode 220: The Changing Landscape of Global Aid with Dr. Duncan Green

This week on The International Risk Podcast, Dominic Bowen sits down with Dr. Duncan Green, a leading expert on global development and social change, to discuss the evolving landscape of foreign aid and the challenges that lie ahead. As major donor countries reassess their commitments and priorities shift toward  national interest, and military spending, the global…

Duncan Green

Duncan Green

Duncan Green is a Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he is the Director (alongside Tom Kirk) of the LSE’s Activism, Influencing and Change Programme. He also serves as the Director of the Global Executive Leadership Initiative’s Influencing Programme. In addition to his academic and leadership roles,…

The Future of Defense: International Security and the Fragile Future of Global Alliances

The Future of Defense: International Security and the Fragile Future of Global Alliances

Author: Camila Mateos Betancourt The United States, led by Trump, is becoming an increasingly unreliable ally for Europe as it aligns with Russia’s priorities at the expense of Ukraine’s security and sovereignty. The U.S. showed the world just how far it was willing to go in pursuit of its own agenda with the public humiliation…