23.1.20
What Happens Next?
Far Right, All Wrong: Is Right-Wing Extremism on the Rise? | 7

The internet’s a great place to meet like-minded people… even for far-right extremists.

Today’s political climate has emboldened this growing group in Australia and beyond. How will society look if this growing threat goes unchecked?

In a new series, Dr Susan Carland and her expert guests consider the complex issue of far-right extremism, shedding light on its impact, the actions taken to address it and what we can do to confront extremist ideologies.

Emeritus Professor Andrew Markus, from Monash University’s School of International, Historical and Philosophical Studies, says that the Christchurch, New Zealand massacre and the infiltration of far-right groups into Australian politics serve as stark reminders of the urgency of addressing this issue.

The internet has played a strong role in amplifying extremist ideologies, making recruitment and organisation easier, while governments and private companies have been hesitant to regulate speech. Can we shift societal perception to recognise hate speech as a clear cause of social harm?

Legal expert Patrick Emerton champions the preservation of legislation that can play a crucial role in safeguarding against hate speech without compromising foundational liberties.

A full transcript of this episode is available on Monash Lens.

In this series:

• Far Right, All Wrong – Is Right-Wing Extremism on the Rise?
• What's Rightfully Ours – What Happens If We Ignore Right-Wing Extremism? 
• Right Here, Right Now – Can We Disarm Extremism?

Learn more about right-wing extremism:

• Conspiracy theories and the Australian far-right
• Christchurch Shooting: What's turning young men into killing machines?
• The future of terrorism

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