ABOUT THE PROJECT

YOU-DARE investigates the construction and use of gender in far-right ideologies, focusing on how  gender roles influence youth radicalisation, informal leadership structures, and recruitment. The project challenges oversimplified views of far-right gender narratives by using an intersectional approach, analysing both traditional and digital leadership models, such as online influencers, in shaping far-right youth identities. 

By examining both formal and informal leadership structures - including political figures, grassroots organisers, and online influencers - YOU-DARE investigates the role of digital platforms in amplifying far-right gender narratives. The project also assesses how these movements engage with young people, how their messages evolve across different national and cultural contexts, and how gender is used to forge alliances and strengthen ideological commitments.  

A key focus of YOU-DARE is to bridge research with real-world impact. Working closely with policymakers, civil society organisations, and youth activists, the project aims to develop innovative strategies, tools, and policy recommendations to challenge exclusionary narratives and reinforce democratic resilience. Through comparative research across eight European countries, it will provide critical insights into how far-right gender ideologies influence political discourse, governance, and social cohesion. 

THE PROJECT METHODOLOGY

Mapping Gender Narratives

YOU-DARE begins with in-depth desk research to map key far-right actors and discourses across Europe, identifying how gender is constructed and where current knowledge falls short.

Understanding Lived Realities

Through qualitative research, the project explores real experiences and motivations behind gender narratives in far-right spaces, and how these shape wider debates and policy.

dRIVING Collaborative Impact

YOU-DARE works with civil society, experts, and policymakers to ensure its findings support meaningful change across disciplines and European policy contexts.

project outputs

An Integrated Approach

  • Integrates research, practice, and policy insight. 
  • Bridges in-depth analysis with practical action and accessible tools. 
  • Provides a comprehensive understanding of how gender and youth dynamics intersect with far-right ideologies. 

Research and Analysis

  • Conducts cross-cutting and comparative analysis of far-right youth actors and influencers across Europe and explore their discourses 
  • Translates findings into interactive visualisation maps to support stakeholder understanding of complex networks, gender controversies, and evolving political narratives. 
  • Map policies and project aimed at preventing and countering far right radicalisation of youth and analyse their "gendered" assumptions 

Local Pilot Actions

  • Co-designs, implements and evaluate pilot projects tailored to local contexts. 
  • Tests inclusive and participatory approaches to youth engagement. 
  • Aims to reinforce democratic values and prevent radicalisation. 

Mutual Learning & Dialogue

  • Organises Open Policy Labs and workshops. 
  • Fosters collaboration between researchers, civil society, and policymakers through the YOU-DARE Network 

Tools for Future Action

  • Develops a Future Research Roadmap outlining priorities for future work. 
  • Produces the YOU DARE Toolkit and Policy Recommendations offering evidence-based strategies for action. 
  • Launches an online capacity-building course to equip local, national, and European actors for sustainable action beyond the project’s duration. 

To find out more about the outputs of the project, stay connected. They will be shared on our website as well as our social media channels. You can also register to our newsletter for updates on the project. 

you-dare expected impact

  • Enriche the academic discourse on political, sociological and gender studies by offering unique multimodal approach addressing how gender roles play in narrative of far-right movements targetting youth demographic. 
  • Develop a comprehensive knowledge base from far-right political actors and related normalisation trends, to promote transparency into gender and politics intersection and shed light on political discourses of youth and informal leaders.  
  • Improve understanding of the content and importance of interactions in online spaces for far-right youth movements and informal leaders therefore contributing to increased awareness of youth and citizens for more transparent and accountable democratic discourse. 
  • Improve understanding of issues at stake by identifying and testing new policy solutions that will contribute to support revitalisation of democratic discourse among the youth. 
  • Contribute to setting up new more equitable policies that will come from more informed and transparent democratic discourse.  
  • Test innovative solutions with local actors and authorities