Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today Dominic hosts Rik Peel son the podcast to discuss religious extremism. They dive into the background of radicalisation; the differences between extremism, fundamentalism, and conspiracy theories; what the global patterns are; what role belief systems play in radicalisation; why radicalisation has such an impact on crises; and more! Dr. Rik…
Written by Elisa Garbil – 10.07.2025 Religious extremism is often portrayed in stark and simplistic terms, dangerous, irrational, and rooted in blind faith. But research from philosophers, psychologists, and international organisations paints a more nuanced picture. It reveals that extremism isn’t solely about belief systems; it’s about identity, psychological vulnerabilities, and the socio-political environments in…
Dr. Rik Peels is a Professor in Philosophy and Theology of Radicalisation at the Faculty of Humanities at the Free University of Amsterdam. Rik specialises in the ethics and epistemology of belief, in particular extreme belief, and replication in the humanities. He has developed a theory of responsible belief, studied ignorance, criticised scientism and developed…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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.
Jacob Sims is a columnist for The Diplomat and a founding partner of Operation Shamrock, which is a global public-private coalition working to disrupt Southeast Asia’s organised cybercrime epidemic. He also acts in a formal advisory capacity to numerous other leading organisations and governments in the global fight against modern slavery. Jacob previously served in…
