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Sidore Lecture Series 2021 – The Hate Vaccine: Attitudinal Inoculation as Counter-Persuasion for Far-Right Extremist Propaganda
April 7, 2021 @ 7:00 pm
FreeAlthough the insurrectionist attack on the Capitol on January 6th brought the full scope of the threat posed by the far-right into view, right-wing extremists (including neo-Nazis, white supremacists, sovereign citizens, and others) have been working to build a movement in the United States for decades. As part of these efforts, far-right extremists have reached out to vulnerable individuals online, attempting to bring them to adopt ideologies that advocate hatred, polarization, and violence. As these groups have grown increasingly active online, the need to challenge their influence has become critical. One method for preventing persuasion — attitudinal inoculation — has gone largely unused in trying to stem the tide of far-right extremism. Dr. Kurt Braddock has begun to test inoculation as a means of fighting far-right propaganda, and initial results are very promising. In this talk, Dr. Braddock will discuss attitudinal inoculation, his work in using it to fight right-wing extremists’ propaganda, and how it might be used moving forward.
Dr. Kurt Braddock is an Assistant Professor of Public Communication in the School of Communication at American University. He is also holds faculty fellowships at American University’s Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab (PERIL), Center for Media and Social Impact (CMSI), and Institute for Immersive Designs, Experiences, Applications, and Stories (IDEAS) Lab. Dr. Braddock has published dozens of articles and book chapters on the application of communication theory to prevent violent extremism. His latest book, Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Violent Radicalization and Counter-Radicalization, has been adopted by multiple government agencies to inform their counter-radicalization efforts. He has consulted with and advised several national and international organizations, including the US Department of State, the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Agency for International Development, Public Safety Canada, the UK Home Office, and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism.