Restoring the Moderate Middle: Reining in Extremism

• Week 1: What is extremism, and what it is not
  Everyday speech tends to use the term ‘extremism’ imprecisely. We’ll sharpen our understanding of extremism, noting where and how it differs from other intense political or ideological movements. Concurrently, we will learn that ‘moderate’ does not mean anodyne or reformist. In contexts of rising extremism, the moderate commitment to open dialogue and political engagement is often very radical.
• Week 2: What fuels extremism, and how might we restrain it
  We’ll explore why extremism seems to be on the rise. We’ll analyze how the internet and algorithms that power the dominant platforms serve to introduce users to ever more extreme content. The role of influential political and popular intellectual figures in promoting extreme ideas will be considered. We’ll investigate mechanisms developed to de-radicalize people and learn of strategies and initiatives specifically designed to counter extremism.
• Week 3: The far right—moving the Overton window
  Extremism can appear to emerge suddenly. While extremist ideas can gather speed alarmingly quickly, a more typical pattern is that extremist ideas are introduced slowly and normalized over time. The concept of the Overton window helps to explain this process. Looking at the rise of far-right movements in Canada and the U.S., we’ll examine initiatives to reverse the normalization of racialized beliefs and movements.
• Week 4: Religious extremism—weaponizing faith
  For many in North America, September 2001 introduced the phenomenon of religious extremism. While the 9/11 attacks had their roots in political Islam, religious extremism is a phenomenon that crosses all faiths. We’ll examine how faith communities are striving to preserve their religious communities in the face of those who support exclusionary and even violent forms of their faith. 
• Week 5: Extremist nationalism—my country, above all
  Nationalism has long been a contentious subject. As an important part of political life, nationalism was declared dead by scholars in the mid-20th century. The civil wars of the 1990s renewed scholarly interest in extreme forms of nationalism. Today, we are experiencing a flush of political leaders—Putin, Orban, Modi and Xi among them—intent on using nationalism to preserve and expand their political influence. We’ll look at how these narratives are being disrupted and challenged.
• Week 6: The extremists we know—and those we only read about
  A challenge of extremism is how it divides any group that seeks connection and common ground. Extremism does not tolerate debate or alternative viewpoints. We’ll explore strategies for managing the extremists in our lives, whether in our families, friendship groups, nations or the wider world. The moderate middle can only be maintained through the skill and determination of the ‘mild multitude’, who remain open, curious and tolerant of other views. 

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Distinguish between extremism, radicalism and other forms of intense political expression
• Understand the social science behind how extremism arises and its effects on democracy
• Evaluate why the ‘moderate middle’ is an important political bulwark against extremism
• Learn strategies and techniques to manage extremism within, among family and friends, and in the world at large

• Lectures in a seminar format
• Participation in discussions
  
• Weekly readings and supplementary resources in Canvas
  
• Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)

No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.