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Today In the Den, we’re tackling a topic that’s both unsettling and urgent: the rise of extremism, and how it’s targeting our young people across the spectrum of identity. We’ll also talk about solutions; exploring how we can recognize the signs of radicalization along with tools and strategies we can use to counteract these harmful messages and foster empathy, critical thinking, and inclusivity in the next generation.

Special Guest: Lydia Bates 

Lydia Bates (she/her) is the Senior Program Manager of Partnerships at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Her work focuses primarily on equipping communities with the tools and information they need to help young people build resilience against supremacist ideologies. Prior to moving into this role, Ms. Bates was a Senior Research Analyst at SPLC, monitoring several hate groups and ideologies. She has a M.A. in Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs from American University. 

Special Guest: Cynthia Miller-Idriss

Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss is a Professor in the School of Public Affairs and in the School of Education at the American University in Washington, DC, where she is also the founding director and chief vision officer in the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). Dr. Miller-Idriss regularly testifies before the U.S. Congress and briefs policy, security, education and intelligence agencies in the U.S., the United Nations, and other countries on trends in domestic violent extremism and strategies for prevention and disengagement. She is the author, co-author, or co-editor of seven books, including her most recent book, Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism (Princeton University Press, 2025) and Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right (Princeton University Press, 2022).

Links from the Show:

• Link to “Not Just a Joke” report: https://www.splcenter.org/resources/reports/peril-understanding-preventing-gender-sexuality-bigotry/ 
• Report from the Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/guide/how-to-signal-you-are-an-ally-in-hostile-environment/ 
• Find SIECUS here: https://siecus.org/contraceptive-coercion-access-and-sex-education/ 
• Find Safe Bae here: https://safebae.org/ 
• Join Mama Dragons here: www.mamadragons.org 

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