On August 31, the RADIS team presented preliminary findings from its ongoing short study. The study analyzes the impact that current conflict dynamics in Iran and the Middle East are having within Germany.
Against the backdrop of US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the expansion of the conflict, the study focuses on the following questions: How do these events affect dynamics of radicalization and polarization in Germany? What new needs are emerging for practitioners? And how can academia, security authorities and civil society collaborate more effectively?
The insights presented are based on interviews within focus groups, involving participants from the fields of prevention work, security authorities, and academia, as well as members of Germany’s Jewish and Muslim communities.
These discussions revealed that October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war remain a profound turning point for many. The developments since spring 2026 have noticeably intensified everyday pressures. Affected individuals reported concerns about openly displaying political or religious affiliations. Researchers, too, expressed fear that they could no longer freely voice certain opinions due to the risk of stigmatization or reputational damage. Alongside this growing self-censorship and a subtle inability to find the right words, digital developments are further exacerbating the pressure. While radical narratives spread, artificial intelligence is increasingly serving as a new source of guidance on complex conflict issues – a trend participants view as a risk.
To address these complex challenges, they called for the development of practical competencies in educational settings – in order to distinguish between provocations from discriminating ideologies in schools –, as well as protected spaces that foster dialogue and reliable structures for the practical transfer of knowledge. Both, the focus groups and the participants of the webtalk highlighted that conditions for work in the field have changed: growing responsibilities and rising demands are colliding with limited resources and a lack of long-term planning certainty. Particularly in light of current conflicts, the need for structures that are both reliable and flexible is becoming increasingly urgent.
The full short study will be published this winter in German and English.