Extreme Dialogue
Extreme Dialogue engages young people in conversations around combating extremism, hate and disinformation.
Extreme Dialogue is ISD’s flagship educational programme, focused on engaging young people in conversations around combating extremism, hate and disinformation. Compelling films tell the first-hand stories of former extremists and survivors of extremism, accompanied by a series of interactive educational resources for teachers, youth workers and young people.
The short films and accompanying educational resources aim to reduce the appeal of extremism among young people and offer a positive alternative to the increasing amount of extremist material and propaganda available on the internet and across social media platforms.
Extreme Dialogue uses the stories of real people, told in their own words, raw and unscripted, so that young people can learn from those whose lives have been profoundly impacted by extremism
They include:
- a former member of the extreme far-right in Canada
- a mother whose son was killed fighting for ISIS in Syria
- a youth worker and former refugee from Somalia
- a former member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) whose father was killed by the IRA
- a former member of the banned UK Islamist group al-Muhajiroun
- a Syrian refugee now living in Berlin
- a member of a Roma community in Hungary targeted by far-right demonstrations.
‘Extreme Dialogue’ is an excellent programme which enables schools to develop the critical thinking skills essential for young people today. The high quality resources help teachers to engage in useful and constructive dialogue with students even in a sphere where emotions, opinions and knowledge can be varied.Alan Fraser, Assistant Head Teacher, Cranford Community College
Each film is accompanied by a set of educational resources that can be used with young people in classrooms or community settings to build resilience to extremism and enhance critical thinking. By creating a safe space for debating controversial issues, Extreme Dialogue provides young people and teachers with the resources and confidence to safely open discussions around sensitive subjects.
All content is freely available on the project website in English, German and Hungarian, with the Canadian resources available in French.
Funded by Public Safety Canada via the Kanishka Project, and co-funded by the Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme of the European Union, Extreme Dialogue has brought together partners the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, film-makers Duckrabbit, and the educational charity Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Extreme Dialogue in Europe is supported by project partners West London Initiative in the UK, Cultures Interactive in Germany, and Political Capital in Hungary.


Extreme Dialogue workshop, London, UK, 2018
ISD’s Education team

Jennie King
Senior Policy Manager, Technology, Communications & Education

Jennie King
Senior Policy Manager, Technology, Communications & Education

Josh Phillips
Manager, Technology, Communications & Education

Josh Phillips
Manager, Technology, Communications & Education

Henry Tuck
Head of Policy & Research

Henry Tuck
Head of Policy & Research