Project

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Rechtsextreme Jugendliche in der Schweiz: Ausstiegsmotivation unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der familiären Sozialisation und der Gleichaltrigenbeziehungen

English title Right-wing extremist youth in Switzerland: Analysis of motivation of joining and leaving the right-wing extremist scene under special consideration of family socialization
Applicant Mäder Ueli
Number 101067
Funding scheme NRP 40+ Right-wing Extremism - Causes and Counter-measures
Research institution Institut für Soziologie Universität Basel
Institution of higher education University of Basel - BS
Main discipline Sociology
Start/End 01.11.2003 - 31.10.2006
Approved amount 298'930.00
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All Disciplines (3)

Discipline
Sociology
Education and learning sciences, subject-specific education
Psychology

Lay Summary (English)

Lead
Lay summary
Motivation of Swiss young people to disengage from the right-wing scene

Through biographical research, the study will produce insight into the reasons why young people leave the rightwing extremist scene. Special consideration of family socialization and peer relationships will be an important part of the analysis.

Background
Frequently, the factors that predict the likelihood of a young person entering the right-wing extremist scene are simply inverted and then rated as significant factors for disengagement from the scene - we believe that this is one of the gravest errors in the debate on disengagement altogether.The social sciences need basic and applicable knowledge that will allow us to draw up a draft of the life profiles of young people who are distancing themselves from the right-wing extremist scene. The project aims to contribute to that knowledge. Young people’s reasons for leaving the scene will be investigated at the societal and personal levels.

Aims and methods
Sample: We hope to produce new findings that can be implemented to facilitate the exit process of the youth from the right-wing extremist scene. Three groups of right-wing extremist young people and young adults will be examined: (1) members of an organized right-wing extremist group who are not considering exiting the scene, (2) young people who are currently in the process of disengaging from the right-wing extremist scene, and (3) young people who have already left the scene.
Longitudinal design: The research project design is a longitudinal study of 45 young people. They will be interviewed personally a total of three times, and fill out a questionnaire, at seven-month intervals. In addition, the project plans to conduct interviews with the parents of the young people. Quantitative and qualitative methods will be used in combination, and a number of various sources of data will be used.

Significance
Well-founded microsociological knowledge of the factors that move young people to disengage from rightwing extremist groups could provide a basis for early recognition of these decision processes in young people. Also, knowledge of the causes behind the motivation to leave the rightwing extremist scene could also lead to the development of new intervention models (in the form of incentives, for example). Scientific research has been lacking in this area; the results of this project may yield information on a social group that shares common characteristics.
Direct link to Lay Summary Last update: 21.02.2013

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