The latest developments from the DeMoLiSH Project were presented during the workshop on the dangerous intersection of far-right ideologies, online hate speech, and offline hate crimes, as part of a workshop jointly organized by the Extremism and Democracy and Latin American Politics ECPR Standing Groups, which took place from September 13-15 in Athens. The discussion shed light on the growing threat of xenophobia and how hate speech on social media can escalate into real-world violence.
Key Takeaways:
• Lamprini Rori (University of Athens), Vasiliki Georgiadou (Panteion University & EKKE), and Maria Pontiki (ATHENA Research Center) shared groundbreaking research linking social media hate speech with xenophobic attacks in their presentation: “The Far-Right, Hate Speech, and Hate Crime.”
• The DeMoLiSH Project demonstrates how digital platforms are often used as megaphones for hate, with far-right rhetoric specifically targeting migrants and minorities.
• The serious consequences of unchecked hate speech—such as the erosion of social cohesion and the rise in violence—were explored in detail.
This event offered valuable insights into combating racism and creating effective counter-narratives to challenge xenophobia both online and offline. Stay tuned for more updates and resources from the DeMoLiSH Project.