Over the last years, due to globalisation and migration processes, neoliberal transformations of welfare states and shrinking labour markets populist parties and movements have emerged in a number of European countries. This context has provoked new forms of racism and discrimination, also through new media and social platforms. The European Project e-EAV (e-Engagement Against Violence), supported by the DAPHNE-programme 2012-2014, aimed at contrasting new right-wing populism and discrimination transmitted through digital media by promoting young people’s awareness of violent media contents and empowering them through civic engagement and media/digital literacy.
The project looked at the pronounced populist and racist movements and groups in seven European countries, i.e. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Great Britain, Slovenia. The project analysed media and their use by populism actors. It looked into communication strategies of movements and their messages directed against “the Other”. The aim was to contribute to empowerment of youth and of teachers in counter-acting racism.
To strengthen civic engagement and promote media and digital literacy, an elearning platform was released for teachers and educational tools were developed for students in six european languages. The learning scenarios developed in the project have been further developed and transferred in the new project “MEET” since 2016.
Partners of “e–Engagement against violence” were:
- University of Florence, Italy
- Média Animation ASBL, Belgium
- University of Leicester, Great Britain
- New Bulgarian University, Bulgaria
- University of Paris 8, France
- University of Vienna, Austria
