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Better researchers, better people? The dangers of empathetic research on the extreme right

Toros, Harmonie (2022) Better researchers, better people? The dangers of empathetic research on the extreme right. Critical Studies on Terrorism, 15 (1). pp. 225-231. ISSN 1753-9153. (doi:10.1080/17539153.2022.2031127) (KAR id:92845)

Abstract

The difficulties of empathising with violent perpetrators has preoccupied a small number of social scientists, particularly criminologists and critical security and terrorism scholars. Most of this work examines how researchers can mitigate the impact of engaging with violent perpetrators and minimize any distress this may cause. This article examines whether a deeper empathetic exchange with violent actors - one in which researchers open themselves cognitively and emotionally and that accepts the dialogical nature of empathy - is the next step that needs to be undertaken by critical scholars. It then examines the costs of such a move. The discomfort and danger of empathizing with violent actors is examined through the particularly thorny example of research with violent actors from the extreme-right.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1080/17539153.2022.2031127
Uncontrolled keywords: Empathy, Ardern, Extreme-right
Subjects: J Political Science > JZ International relations
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Politics and International Relations
University-wide institutes > Institute of Cyber Security for Society
Depositing User: Harmonie Toros
Date Deposited: 25 Jan 2022 12:57 UTC
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2022 16:07 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/92845 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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