EXPERT: Christer Mattson
Christer Mattson: Director of the Segerstedt Institute at the University of Gothenburg. His research mainly focuses on processes of radicalization to violent extremism and counter measures.
Christer Mattson says that individuals feel a lack of control within modern societies and feel pushed to compete with others with ‘liquid modernity’ – constant societal change and ambiguity – leads to an urge for group identifications, to escape the individualism of modern life. He describes ‘doxa’ – commonly-held shared beliefs – of fascist beliefs, and how contradictions in these are resolved, which includes the persistence of antisemitic beliefs. Cognitive biases create a tendency to blame others more than our ingroup. He identifies feminism and modernity has created anxieties around masculinity. Those who become disillusioned and seek to leave movements need social support to avoid relapsing into extremist circles – and a chance to atone for their pasts. He speaks to the human need for connection and how this has informed his research with extremists, and the importance of upholding humanist values for all.