Biografiebasierte Maßnahmen in der schulischen Präventions- und Bildungsarbeit

Abstract

For decades, autobiographical narratives have formed an integral part of school prevention and educational work in Germany. They are not only widespread in the prevention of extremism but are also used to impart historical thinking or to prevent violence and substance abuse. For the most part, however, sound evaluations on this topic are not available. This monograph provides the first comprehensive academic examination of school-based prevention measures conducted by former extremists: On the one hand examining the application practice across Germany by means of a data collection consisting of interviews, postal survey and media analysis; On the other hand comprehensively evaluating, with robust design and sufficiently large sample, an illustrative primary prevention school measure conducted by a former right-wing extremist. The focus lies on the effects of the measure on the pupils.

A Biographical Perspective on Processes of Radicalisation

“…Our understanding of biographies differs from prevention projects that work with former extremists (for an overview, see Gansewig & Walsh, 2020) where biographers are attributed a natural, individual authenticity and the story itself is used to serve a certain purpose. Our approach involves reconstructing how the narrator perceived an experience as it took place and thus aims to reveal the structures that shaped the narrator's course of action.…”

“…The right-wing extremist experience (Glaser & Pfeiffer, 2013), which is shaped by solidarity, shared activities and collective acts of violence, is (initially) more important than ideology. The determinant factors of this type of biographical self-description are a childhood spent in a family where conflict is commonplace, experience of disintegration in one's school and professional career, deviant behaviour and an attraction to right-wing extremist groups that is driven more by personal rather than ideological motives, as the examples demonstrate (see also Gansewig & Walsh, 2020).…”

“…(Violent) offences are thus justified as having origins that are perceived to be superior includes the right to pursue one's own interests using violence (see Colvin & Pisoiu, 2018). The literature also makes reference to a "fascination with historical National Socialism" as well as "its relevant values or worldview promoted within the family of origin" as a cause variable for far-right radicalisation (for an overview, see Gansewig & Walsh, 2020). Even if those who would use this self-description decide to disengage from right-wing structures over the course of adulthood to go on to lead a crime-free life, they do not distance themselves from the ideology as the values of National Socialism and their assumed superiority are deeply connected to the way they view the world and themselves.…”