CPEB 211 - Extremism (4 Cr.)

(GCR Social and Behavioral Sciences area)

The rise of religious and racially/ethnically motivated violent extremism are two of the greatest threats to democracy, security and humanity worldwide. The spread of the global far right and the resurgence of ISIS stand as evidence. If we’re going to combat extremism, we need to know what it is, how people are recruited into extremist groups, and what can be done to inoculate young people against extremism. We need to understand the role that social media plays in recruitment and how misogyny can function as a gateway grooming agent. In this CPE, we’ll be unpacking how people become extremists and what can be done to prevent extremism. This class will utilize a variety of mechanisms including scholarly analysis, guest lecture, autobiography, red teams, and will culminate in a group project where students will design an inoculation program.