Recording: Far-Right Extremism in the Military and Police Forces

In his recent study published in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Dr Daniel Koehler, RUSI Associate Fellow and Director of the German Institute on Radicalization and De-Radicalization Studies (GIRDS), explores some of the potential vulnerability factors for far-right radicalisation in Special Operation Forces (SOF) and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) units in Western countries. Drawing on available data on far-right behaviour or ethical misconduct in Germany, Canada, Australia and the US, Dr Koehler’s presentation will highlight the different categories of risk factors and propose specific targeted prevention and countering strategies to tackle far-right extremism in these units.

RUSI Senior Research Fellow Dr Jessica White and Research Fellow Claudia Wallner will also explain some of the research questions explored in current RUSI research on how hypermasculinity and training processes (i.e formal and informal educational experiences and courses) within the military environment can help facilitate radicalisation and recruitment into far-right extremism, and how these processes can be used for prevention strategies.

The event will be chaired by Georgia Holmer, RUSI Senior Associate Fellow.

This webinar is the first in a quarterly event series linked to RUSI’s Far-Right Extremism and Terrorism (FRET) research programme. In the context of this research programme, the ‘far right’ is understood as an umbrella term encompassing both the ‘radical right’ and the ‘extreme right’ on the right-wing spectrum (for more details on these definitions, please refer to our programme page). The primary focus of this programme is on the extreme right, where there is violent action or professed intent, or actions or narratives that might lead to or encourage others into violence.