German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

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Monitoring System and Transfer Platform Radicalisation / Phase II

  • As part of the overall MOTRA II project, the GIGA sub-project aims to gain generalisable insights into the influence of international events and developments on politically extremist attitudes among the population living in Germany and among party political elites, how these attitudes change over time, and how they interact with each other.
    BMFTR, BMI, 2025-2028

    Team

    Janosch Kleinschnittger

    Research Fellow

    Andrew Crawford

    Research Fellow

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Research Fellow

    Dr. Diego Farren

    Research Fellow

    Cooperation Partners

    Logo BMI Bundesministerium des Innern

    Research Questions

    1. Which international events and foreign policy actions have a reinforcing or, where applicable, moderating effect on radical and extremist attitudes among the general population?
    2. Which international events and foreign policy actions lead to radical and, where applicable, extremist positions among which sections of the party political elites?
    3. What interactions occur between the positions taken by party political elites and radical attitudes within the population in response to international events and foreign policy actions?

    Research Design and Methods

    To answer the research questions, two forms of continuous observation formats established in the first phase of MOTRA will be continued and further developed. The first of these is representative online surveys designed (People in Germany: International). The second involves the collection and analysis of topic-specific statements made by party political elites on social media (currently X) (X-Monitoring Dashboard). In addition to individual attitudes and behavioral dispositions as key observation variables in the entire phenomenon of politically radical views and extremism, special attention will be paid to polarising, radical, and potentially extremist positions expressed on social media by party political elites in response to international events. On the one hand, these two elements and their changes over time are to be recorded and analysed. On the other hand, it is planned to examine possible interactions between radical or extremist party political positions expressed on social media and individual attitudes.

    Project Publications

    UHH MOTRA-Spotlight | Universität Hamburg | 10/2025

    Die Sehnsucht nach Frieden im Nahen Osten: Einstellungen zum Gaza-Krieg und die Bewertung von Friedensvorschlägen bei Menschen in Deutschland

    In diesem Spotlight werden Einstellungen der deutschen Bevölkerung zum Konflikt im Nahen Osten betrachtet. Es wird untersucht, in welchem Maße eine gesellschaftliche Polarisierung erkennbar ist, inwiefern Israelkritik mit Antisemitismus zusammenhängt, und wie verbreitet der Wunsch nach Frieden ist.

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Research Fellow

    Prof. Dr. Peter Wetzels

    Faculty of Law, Universität Hamburg

    Chapter in Edited Volume | 03/2025

    Antisemitische und muslimfeindliche Haltungen in Deutschland: Entwicklungen seit dem Jahresbeginn 2023

    In diesem Beitrag zum MOTRA Monitor 2023/24 werden aktuelle Daten zu antisemitischen und muslimfeindlichen Einstellungen innerhalb der in Deutschland lebenden Bevölkerung zwischen Januar 2023 und September 2024 vorgestellte und analysiert.

    Janosch Kleinschnittger

    Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter

    Dr. Katrin Brettfeld

    Prof. Dr. Peter Wetzels

    Chapter in Edited Volume | 2025

    Digitale Identitäten und Rechtsextremismus: Soziale Medien als Radikalisierungsraum

    In diesem Beitrag wird die Rolle sozialer Medien als Radikalisierungsraum analysiert. Es wird auf die kommunikativen Strategien Hassrede, Angstrede und Falschnachrichten eingegangen und Einflussfaktoren der Radikalisierung dargestellt. Die Beschreibungen werden anhand von Befragungsdaten gestützt.

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Research Fellow

    Soziale Welt-Zeitschrift Fur Sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung und Praxis | 2025

    Refugee Policy Preferences in Germany: The Influence of Threat Perceptions and Personal Circumstances on the Rejection of Three Different Refugee Groups

    This study explores why and to what extent Arab, Central African, and Eastern European refugees face rejection in Germany. Survey data show that perceived threats to economy, culture, security, and cohesion drive negative attitudes, and that personal circumstances shape these perceptions.

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Research Fellow

    Janosch Kleinschnittger

    Research Fellow

    Rechtspsychologie - Zeitschrift für Familienrecht, Strafrecht, Kriminologie und Soziale Arbeit | 2025

    Zwischen Sicherheitsbedürfnis und Muslimfeindlichkeit: Verbreitung und Einflussfaktoren vigilanter Haltungen in Deutschland

    Der Beitrag befasst sich mit Einflussfaktoren vigilanter Haltungen, die u.a. eine Bereitschaft zur Selbstjustiz sowie ein gesteigertes Bedürfnis nach Kontrolle und Bestrafung bestimmter Gruppen umfassen. Die Analysen basieren auf einer Befragung in Deutschland (N = 2 062).

    Nele Wendt

    University of Hamburg

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Research Fellow

    Related Content

    The Influence of Threat Perception on Political Attitudes: Measuring the Acceptance of Autocracy in Germany

    Conference | 12/08/2024 - 15/08/2024

    The Influence of Threat Perception on Political Attitudes: Measuring the Acceptance of Autocracy in Germany

    ECPR General Conference 2024, University College Dublin, Dublin Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter (Speaker), Dr. Diego Farren (Speaker), Dr. Katrin Brettfeld (Speaker), Janosch Kleinschnittger (Speaker), Prof. Dr. Peter Wetzels (Speaker)

    GIGA researcher Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter presents his paper "The Influence of Threat Perception on Political Attitudes: Measuring the Acceptance of Autocracy in Germany" at the ECPR General Conference 2025. The presentation is part of the panel "Democratic Backsliding and the Struggle Against Autocracy".

    Prof. Dr. Thomas Richter

    Dr. Diego Farren

    Dr. Katrin Brettfeld

    Janosch Kleinschnittger

    Prof. Dr. Peter Wetzels

    Conspiracy Mentality and the Acceptance of Political Violence among Young People in Germany

    Conference | 03/09/2025 - 06/09/2025

    Conspiracy Mentality and the Acceptance of Political Violence among Young People in Germany

    25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology, Athen Organisers: Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, European Society of Criminology Dr. Diego Farren (Speaker), Janosch Kleinschnittger (Speaker), Rebecca Endtricht (Speaker)

    This paper is concerned with the concept of conspiracy mentality (CM), arguing that it can be seen as a generalised political attitude. Results show that CM especially predicts intolerance towards dominant groups, lower perceptions of fairness and legitimacy, and acceptance of violence.

    Dr. Diego Farren

    Janosch Kleinschnittger

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Dimensions of National Identity and Right-Wing Extremist Attitudes in Germany - A Spectrum from Patriotism to Nationalism

    Conference | 03/09/2025 - 06/09/2025

    Dimensions of National Identity and Right-Wing Extremist Attitudes in Germany - A Spectrum from Patriotism to Nationalism

    25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology, Athen Organisers: Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, European Society of Criminology Rebecca Endtricht (Speaker)

    The paper examines the relationship between national identity and political ideologies, focusing on patriotism and nationalism as inclusive vs. exclusivist expressions of national identity. Results show that nationalist interpretations of identity increase hostile attitudes towards minorities.

    Rebecca Endtricht

    Research Fellow

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