Young AFK

From March 11 to 12, this year’s Young Researchers Conference of the Junge AFK will take place in Schwerte under the theme “Radicalization and Collective Violence.”

The conference addresses the topical and socially relevant fields of radicalization and collective violence. Among other questions, it seeks to explore: What is the relationship between processes of radicalization and collective violence? Is radicalization an obstacle for democratic societies that requires preventive measures?

Current events and developments such as the peace process in Colombia or the emergence of social movements like the Yellow Vests in France are part of the program and provide interesting points of connection for a broad audience. The development of societal radicalization in recent years can be traced along the conference program as an example. As in previous years, the conference brings together various research traditions and disciplines. The presentation of academic research results will take place in classical panel sessions. Opportunities to link science and practice will be provided especially in workshops. An open exchange will be facilitated through a fishbowl discussion, and a keynote will ensure a connection to current debates in research.

The conference synthesizes findings from different disciplines on radicalization as well as prevention and deradicalization work. It aims to encourage exchange between young scholars and practitioners. The Junge AFK focuses on networking early-career researchers within the German-speaking region and internationally.

While classical peace and conflict research has focused strongly on international conflict dyads, over the past decades it has increasingly expanded beyond the perspectives of political science and international relations, now encompassing approaches from psychology, sociology, anthropology, as well as technical natural sciences like geography and climate research.

Besides the keynote by Deborah Düring (Member of the German Bundestag, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), which addressed interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral integration in times of multiple crises (especially in active politics) and the relationship between science and politics, six different panels took place. These panels, on the one hand, dealt with peace and conflict research topics from diverse disciplinary perspectives (e.g., in the contribution “Knowledge politics in climate securitisation: framing strategies and the reconceptualisation of peace during exacerbating climate destabilization” by Dario Pagnia). On the other hand, some panels actively engaged with the tasks, possibilities, and limits of inter-, trans-, and multidisciplinarity (e.g., in the contribution “Have more interdisciplinarity! On the future of the interdisciplinary claim including natural science and technical peace and conflict research” by Linda Ostermann or in the workshop discussion “Interdisciplinary Writing and Publishing” by Uneins Magazine).

During breaks and informal evening gatherings, interesting connections and conversations emerged among participants from diverse backgrounds, promoting cross-disciplinary exchange beyond the formal panel discussions.