fa:ve – Prevention and Civic Education on Conspiracy Narratives [Fachstelle Verschwörungserzählungen]
Training courses and workshops on dealing with conspiracy narratives
In times of crisis, people often fall back on conspiracy narratives to explain the complex events and changing dynamics. New crises are therefore accompanied by new conspiratorial narratives. However, the way in which conspiracy narratives function and work remains essentially the same. Because conspiracy narratives are often linked to anti-humane ideologies, they can serve as an accelerator of radicalization and pose a threat to democratic societies.
In order to be able to react adequately and professionally to the spread of conspiracy beliefs, both their social, political and social-psychological dimensions must be taken into account. It is also becoming increasingly important for social workers and adult educators to acquire not only a sound knowledge of the structure and current manifestations of conspiracy narratives, but also knowledge of specific pedagogical challenges and the resulting possibilities for action in this phenomenon.
From 2021 to 2024, cultures interactive therefore implemented several offers for the pedagogical handling of conspiracy narratives: In an annual certification course, educational professionals were trained as multipliers in the field of conspiracy narratives. In addition, shorter workshops and training courses were held for youth welfare and political education professionals and young people. In order to strengthen the exchange on political education around conspiracy narratives, cultures interactive also coordinated a network of professionals. The methods for political education work tested in the various training courses and workshops were published in a methods manual in 2024.
Certification course for educational professionals
The certification course took place annually from 2021 to 2024 and was aimed at educational professionals, political educators and multiplicators from youth (social) work and youth welfare. In six modules, the participants dealt with the history of conspiracy narratives, their psychological impact and links to right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism as well as disinformation. The training enabled the participants to train people in their region to deal with conspiracy narratives in youth work and adult education. In addition to imparting knowledge about conspiracy narratives, methods were therefore also tried out that are suitable for the further education of adults in this subject area. Participation in the training could be certified by the German Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung upon submission of an own concept for a practical module and the presentation of a method.
Workshops for young people
Young people regularly come into contact with conspiracy narratives: through their parents, friends and the media they consume. These narratives can fascinate young people because they simplify and supposedly explain complex relationships. Conspiracy ideologies also convey the identity-creating feeling of having specialized knowledge and belonging to a special community.
In order to work with young people on conspiracy narratives, cultures interactive offered interactive and methodologically diverse workshops. Depending on the young people's existing knowledge and needs, the workshops focused on what conspiracy narratives are and what function they fulfill. Links to anti-Semitism, right-wing extremism and disinformation were also addressed, as well as how to deal with conspiracy beliefs. The workshops, which took place nationwide, enabled a lifeworld-oriented confrontation and were thus able to strengthen the power of resistance in dealing with conspiracy narratives.
Interdisciplinary exchange and peer-to-peer learning
For strong cooperation against conspiracy narratives, cultures interactive also coordinated a network of pedagogical experts. The aims of the network were interdisciplinary exchange and peer-to-peer learning. In particular, sustainable cooperation was sought with the participants of the certified further training.
Funding
