Ladder of participation

the voices of moderate groups and individuals to be heard and thus to prevent the escalation of tensions. Local ‘bridge builders’ play an important role in these efforts, as they have the ability to call on members of their community to keep the peace and organise activities to counter increasing polarisation.

4. Ladder of participation

Democracy and social cohesion are strongly based on participation and dialogue. The lack of opportunities to formally and informally participate in local society (political, democratic or social/economic participation) is a factor of exclusion and marginalisation and can be one of the structural causes of polarisation processes, as it increases tensions.

The ‘ladder of participation’ is a practical tool to assess the possibilities, level and forms of participation of individuals in local society. It is a visual tool that allows local authorities to represent and categorise the different opportunities of participation for individuals within a given society, which can be partnership and participation in debate, participation in decisions, and partial decision-making power 25 .

Required resources to use the tool

The local authority should have access to and the capacity to analyse anonymised data on conventional and unconventional participation in democratic processes across different groups and milieus within the local society. If existing data does not include conventional and unconventional forms of participation, then the municipality should be able to carry out a democracy perception analysis using the ladder of participation and test it with the public. Once the collection phase is completed, the relevant municipal experts analyse the data, focusing on the groups and subgroups who perceive themselves as influential and powerful in different areas of local decision-making. Finally, local authorities need to have the capacity and the political will to respond to the findings by designing strategies to reinforce public engagement and participation.

Partnerships

In order to carry out this exercise, it is recommended that the local authorities engage with relevant national or regional government offices that can provide them with access to the required statistics and related data; local communities and groups across the spectrum of perceived democratic participation; local and national organisations that co-sponsor/support public engagement; a local university or research centre that can facilitate an ethical review and support the research, analysis and reporting processes; local education institutions and/or associations (cultural or sports clubs) that can promote the participa-

25- PRACTICIES Project (H2020-SEC-06-FCT-2016), D4.2 – Exchange of experiences, 28 October 2018, p.6.

tion of young people; and lastly social workers and NGOs that have contacts and trusting relationships with groups who are unlikely to participate politically.

The links of the findings with the level of polarisation

Findings provided by the ladder of participation will enable local and regional authorities to assess and address experiences along a continuum of disempowerment versus democratic participation and co-decision making. Indeed, experiences of marginalisation and disempowerment, real or perceived, can fuel polarisation and erode social cohesion.

III. Ethics review

Before starting the implementation process, audit tools based on surveys or questionnaires require ethical review and approval. Ethics applications usually require the submission of sample forms such as participant information and a consent form (and a separate consent form for photographs, video and audio recordings). It is advisable to verify these requirements beforehand with a local university or central ethics committee (in some countries the ethics review process is centralised, while in others it is decentralised and based in research institutions such as universities).

At an early stage of the planification of the audit, local and regional authorities should engage in collaborative partnerships with researchers and organisations that can support the ethics application processes. This collaboration will help the city to conceptualise the use of the tools in ways that not only meet the international ethics standard, but also contribute to addressing underlying risk factors for polarisation and supporting protective factors for social cohesion. As the duration of an ethics review can range from weeks to several months, it is necessary to plan for this early on. An ethics review is not the same as a legal review and it is possible that both will be required in the city’s respective context (compliance with local, regional, national and European requirements). During the Covid-19 health crisis, many, if not most, ethics review committees around the world have prioritised Covid-related research and put in place expedited ethics review processes for any research related to the pandemic. Given that Covid-19 has in some cases amplified and accelerated polarisation, including the social and physical determinants that contribute to inequalities of all kinds, collaborating with public mental health experts to include Covid-related questions in qualitative and/or quantitative research focusing on polarisation could benefit cities and regions.

26- It can depend on the respective national and local context; in each case it should be verified in order to ensure the ethics reviews’ compliance with the relevant legal requirements.

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Part 3

Addressing polarisation – innovative strategies of prevention and mitigation

Based on the results and findings of the audit phase – which allowed each local and regional partner to assess the level and form of polarisation at play in their respective context, the risks and the protective factors and actors – local authorities elaborated targeted local pilot projects with the help of the BRIDGE expert panel. These projects seek to prevent and/or mitigate polarisation in the short, medium and long term. Their objective is to implement sustainable solutions to prevent and/or mitigate the structural root causes of polarisation instead of only proposing immediate actions to tackle polarisation in an ad hoc manner. These actions can only be sustainable if citizens appropriate them, which means they have to be involved in the design and implementation processes along with all the relevant local stakeholders that will have been previously identified, building a ‘whole of society’ approach. Due to the unprecedented situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the local partners’ pilot activities had to be reviewed and adapted to the circumstances, while in some cases the implementation of activities requiring in-person participation had to be delayed. As, at the time of writing, restrictive health measures – with some national differences – are still in place, some activities are still pending and their future implementation is uncertain.

City of Brussels: Polarisation questionnaire and focus group methodology

The objectives of the pilot project of the City of Brussels were manifold: 1. Better understand the structure of polarisation in the city. 2. Improve local inter-community relations. 3. Bridge the gap between different population groups and local institutions and government. In light of these objectives, the City of Brussels has implemented an online survey in order to better understand the structure and characteristics of polarisation at the local level and the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis on it.

This large-scale qualitative survey targets 5,000 residents and workers in Brussels.

Experts contributed to creating the questionnaire in order to ensure it would produce valid data and be adapted to the local context of the city, as well as to designing the sampling of the local population. A legal and ethical review was also conducted. Furthermore, to guarantee the validity of the sample, and notably the inclusion of categories of the population who tend to be marginalised in such surveys (seniors, migrants, women), the city created cross-departmental partnerships with different city services, such as higher education, social services and community centres. In order to incentivise local residents to take part, they were offered free visits to cultural and historical landmarks in Brussels. The idea was also to illustrate the bonds that exist between the city and its residents through these visits. The questionnaire itself is tested and disseminated in five phases: the first one is addressed to English speakers in Belgium recruited through a survey recruitment platform, such as Prolific or Pollfish. This testing phase aims at enabling analysis planning and identifying the parts of the survey that the city could edit if needed. The second one is based on a convenience sample: the City of Brussels staff orally report their survey experience in French and Flemish/Dutch to other staff who will record, translate and communicate the experiences to the researchers. No survey data will be collected to capture user experience. The individuals do not provide real data; the focus is on surveying their experiences (which may vary). The third one is addressed to French and Flemish/Dutch speakers in Belgium recruited through a survey platform, to test translations, analyse plans and iron out any remaining glitches. The fourth one is based on a convenience sample of Brussels’ residents with whom the city already has strong relationships who could facilitate preparing social workers and community members for focus group sessions and gather initial empirical data regarding polarisation and public health. Finally, the last

phase consists of recruitment from the general population and targeted subpopulation groups to increase empirical understanding of polarisation and public health during this time. At the time of writing, the analysis of the questionnaire’s results by specialised experts remained to be done. After that, the municipality plans to set up citizen focus groups and training for community leaders. The purpose of these focus groups is to gain knowledge on existing tensions between different groups of the population while building a continuous dialogue between them and local authorities. Further actions foreseen:

Recruitment and training of community leaders in dialogue facilitation methods (September-October 2021). Implementation of the focus group process in co-facilitation between social mediators and community leaders (end of 2021-2022). Key attention points and recommendations: the design of the questionnaire and evaluation of its results should be done by experts to ensure it produces valid data based on results from a representative sample; a legal and ethics review should be carried out; and the municipality should clearly identify the objectives it intends to pursue in light of the survey’s results, as part of a long-term sustainable strategy.

Government of Catalonia and City of Terrassa: conducting an in-depth polarisation survey

Based on the findings and insights gathered in their audit phase, the Government of Catalonia and the Municipality of Terrassa developed a survey to further analyse the complex conflicts related to polarisation dynamics in this region. The survey aimed to investigate social cohesion, security issues and radicalism/extremism, as well as resilience factors. It also comprised questions about community interactions, external influences on polarising dynamics and good practices to foster social cohesion.

The survey was delivered in a twofold approach: in the city of Terrassa, the questionnaire was distributed to a variety of actors, such as social workers, local police, professionals in the field of education, community leaders and members of local health services, to gain a more comprehensive picture of the local situation. In a complementary step, about 300 members of the Catalan police forces were queried to cover a wider scope of polarising actors and dynamics in the whole region. The findings and results are to be analysed and disseminated via online training sessions for police and municipal actors across Catalan municipalities. The regional authority seeks to incorporate both the extrapolated findings and the tools of the polarisation survey into their integrated public policy strategies.

City of Düsseldorf: raising awareness on the phenomenon of polarisation

The state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf has long been committed to promoting togetherness in the city’s society. In addition to the City Council, there is an integration council, a council for senior citizens, a youth council and an advisory council for the disabled, all of which take care of the concerns of these respective groups. Although all of these bodies have existed for a long time, polarising, and in some cases extremist, views and behaviours are now emerging in Düsseldorf. To address this, the municipality decided to launch a video campaign that raises awareness among a variety of local stakeholders and the general public. A working group was formed, including partners from the Equal Opportunities Office, Office for Migration and Integration, Department for Culture, School Administration Office, Youth Welfare Office, League of Welfare Associations, the Jewish community and the Crime Prevention Board.

The video produced for the campaign will be made available to educational professionals to engage in a discussion with young people on racism, discrimination and polarisation.

City of Genk: dialogue sessions on the impact of the pandemic and collective storytelling

The City of Genk’s pilot project focuses on learning about the pandemic’s impact on levels of polarisation among different age groups (16-25, 26-39, 40+) in order to understand the tensions within local society during the pandemic, the emergence of potential new ‘polarising factors and actors’, and the negative and positive impacts the pandemic has had on polarisation. Genk wants to learn about and understand personal stories and experiences. Therefore, residents will be invited to share their experience during group sessions. To obtain the relevant information from the different age groups, dialogue sessions will be organised for all the age groups together. Participants are selected by a specialised social worker and by representatives of the relevant municipal services (‘Diversity and Equal Opportunities’ and ‘Positive identity development and connectedness’). Based on the results of the dialogue sessions, the participants will design and produce a creative final ‘product’ (e.g. a written collection of stories, theatre performance, exhibition, short film, etc.) and co-create it. The main objective of this activity is to share personal stories and experiences that can build connections between different members of the community and enhance social cohesion. The final product will present both the negative and positive impacts of the pandemic (as a potential positive impact we may think of the fact that the shared experience of the health crisis could possibly help to overcome divisions).

The municipality expects that a number of themes will emerge from these conversations and wishes to openly discuss them with local residents. Themes that might emerge include: poverty/economic difficulties and opportunities gender/sexuality cultural diversity religion/belief health/well-being

 globalisation education/training asylum/migration education/work/training perceptions of people and of society leisure/nightlife (club life). As a preparation for the group session, one-on-one conversations are equally organised with participants in a safe environment where they can freely tell their stories and share their experiences. Key attention points and recommendations: it is advisable to task specialised municipal officers, such as social workers, with selecting participants; participants must give their consent; and the selected group should be representative of the different local communities.

City of Igoumenitsa: polarisation questionnaire and thematic seminar for local stakeholders

The city’s pilot project is based on a polarisation questionnaire – elaborated with expert support – aimed at detecting the level and form of social tensions and thus the potential manifestations of polarisation in the local society. The questionnaire was addressed to local stakeholders (local elected officials; representatives from the police and the coast guards; the Law Association of the City; the Commercial Association; representatives of the local media and cultural actors...) Forty-eight local stakeholders responded to the questionnaire. The results showed that there are indeed social tensions and that the society is, to some extent, polarised. To the question “Are there different groups in our local area who do not talk to each other (which groups)?”, the majority of the respondents answered ‘yes’. As for the categories of citizens who do not engage in exchanges with other groups, the respondents identified the Roma population, students (secondary education) and supporters of various sports clubs.

To the second question, “Are there groups who are excluded, marginalised or discriminated against by the state or by others?”, the majority of the respondents said ‘yes’. Most believe that there are indeed social groups that are excluded, marginalised and discriminated against, and that they include, primarily, the Roma population and workers from immigrant backgrounds. To question number three, “Have you noticed/experienced crime/ violence in your city?”, 66.7% replied they had witnessed phenomena of violence and delinquent behaviour in the city. To the sub question, “Which of the above phenomena is believed to lead to polarisation/ xenophobia/racism and sexist violence?”, 81% replied that it is mainly “Acts of violence and vandalism in public and communal spaces”. Related to this sub-question, under question number four, “Do you think that this phenomenon has increased in recent years?”, 88.3% replied ‘yes’, which shows that this issue needs to be tackled. Finally, the last question focused on the role of the city in preventing and mitigating such acts and behaviours that could, for example, lead to or increase polarisation. To the questions “What kind of actions shall be taken?” and “Who do you believe should undertake these actions?”, almost all the respondents said that the City of Igoumenitsa and its associated bodies should primarily elaborate and implement awareness-raising activities, for example via different online and media channels.

An expert analysed the results and pointed out the areas of tension that fuel polarisation and the actions that could be taken. The next stage will be for the municipality to organise jointly with specialised experts a seminar with local stakeholders on what constitutes polarisation, how it manifests in the local community, and how to prevent or mitigate it, for example with awareness actions targeted at young people. Key attention points and recommendations: elaborate the questionnaire with the support of an expert who is aware of the local specificities and of the nuances of the terms related to polarisation in the Greek language; the local stakeholders shall be informed about the project’s objective and the aims of the questionnaire, in order to be engaged in the awareness-raising sessions and in the follow-up activi-

ties that seek to prevent or mitigate polarisation; and the experts shall have relevant knowledge and be aware of the local characteristics.

City of Leuven: developing a model of ‘restorative approach’ in the organisational structure of the city and experimenting with the ‘community circles’ methodology

Under its pilot activity, the Municipality of Leuven sought to include the ‘restorative approach’ model in its organisational structure and, on the practical level, to experiment with the ‘community circles’ method in a pilot case in a neighbourhood where conflicts and tensions are recurrent.

The restorative approach is a way to deal with conflict and harm by bringing all the involved parties together in a safe environment where they can recognise the damage caused and work together to repair it. It is particularly fruitful in dealing with situations of polarisation. In the words of Tim Chapman, an expert in this field, “restorative justice enables people to meet either to build community or to repair community after a harmful incident. This can be done through restorative circles or conferences in which everyone is supported to relate their experiences and express their feelings and views and to listen and question each other in a safe and respectful manner. A restorative circle is a non-hierarchical communication process in which each participant sits in a circle and speaks in turn without interruption.”27 The City of Leuven aims to apply this approach to its modus operandi. To do so, the municipality has planned a preparatory phase during which different municipal services as well as all the members of the steering group of Leuven Restorative City will work together on how to operationalise the restorative approach for the municipality. They will produce clear, practical recommendations regarding the restorative approach in Leuven for the City Council; identify a case for the use of the community circle model; compose, prepare and run the community

27- Mitigating Polarisation: Lessons from the restorative justice approach by Tim Chapman, expert with the BRIDGE project. Article published on Efus’ website (2021): https://efus.eu/thematiques/mitigating-polarisation-lessons-from-the-restorative-justiceapproach-by-tim-chapman-expert-with-the-bridge-project/?lang=fr

circle, led by a facilitator; document and evaluate its process and outcomes; and discuss and define the relation between the community circles model and other restorative practices. In line with the objective of integrating the restorative approach in the organisational structure of the city, there will be parallel work phases. The first one will seek to define the precise organisational structure required to support Leuven as a restorative city. It will be followed by three interactive sessions to clarify the stakeholders’ ambitions and objectives; the form of governance for this structural support; and the roles and tasks of the partners involved in this structural innovation and the necessary financial support. The second phase, a scientific one, will consist of research on how Leuven can effectively be a restorative city. This phase will be mainly carried out by an external expert. In particular, this activity will focus on the benefits this approach can bring to local actors and citizens. The effective implementation of these activities requires collaborative work in partnership with members of the steering group of Leuven Restorative City (municipal services, local police, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) Institute of Criminology, local mediation services and youth workers) and with the stakeholders of the pilot case (e.g. neighbourhood managers, neighbourhood mediators, social housing and community guards). Prior to the operationalisation of the work of this partnership, representatives of the relevant stakeholders had the opportunity to participate in a training session on restorative justice as an effective method to curb polarisation. Key attention points and recommendations: the relevant stakeholders should be trained to understand the specificities of the restorative approach with its community circle tool; the pilot case for the experimentation of the community circle tool should be identified with expert support; and clear and practical recommendations and conclusions should be formulated based on the test case in order to integrate the restorative approach in the city’s organisational structure and thus make its use sustainable.

City of Reggio Emilia: accompanying urban regeneration by invigorating social cohesion

The Municipality of Reggio Emilia’s polarisation audit revealed tensions between different groups of the local population living in the neighbourhood surrounding the train station. The area is characterised by strong economic and social inequalities and the lack of public spaces where citizens can meet. This multicultural and diverse neighbourhood has a poor image among residents of Reggio Emilia, mostly because of negative media coverage. On the urban regeneration plans to revive the station area by developing an underused former industrial compound, the municipality and its partners decided to develop their pilot project as an accompanying measure to foster social cohesion and prevent further polarisation in this neighbourhood. The city thus responded to the associations and communities of foreign citizens who are based in the area or work in it, and who had expressed the need to redevelop the neighbourhood from a residential, social and cultural point of view. The municipality and its assigned partner, the Mondinsieme association, organised a series of meetings in the neighbourhood, building on existing collaboration within a network of local stakeholders, citizens, municipal staff and police. The aim was to identify and involve key individuals living in the area and therefore to enhance the inclusiveness of the activities designed to foster communication and social cohesion. Besides these meetings, an annual street game festival in the neighbourhood was initiated, aiming to create shared spaces and activities for all citizens, whether immigrants or natives, residents or non-residents.

Accompanying the urban development of the station area and particularly the planned relocation of the municipal police headquarters in this neighbourhood, a training programme was conducted for the municipal police that aimed to improve communication with local residents. The programme encouraged an intercultural approach, helped dispel stereotypes and fostered mutual understanding between police and citizens by promoting dialogue and cooperation. All activities that accompanied the urban regeneration of the neighbourhood contributed to the objective of collectively rewriting the narrative around the station area.

Key attention points and recommendations: encouraging fruitful dialogue between local residents and police requires the involvement of trained professionals who can facilitate communication and potentially help dismantle stereotypes.

City of Rotterdam: addressing the need to mitigate polarisation in schools

The City of Rotterdam’s assessment of polarisation through the Quick Scan method (see Part 2, Chapter 2.3) revealed that the detected tensions and polarising dynamics were also affecting local schools. Notably, secondary school teachers expressed a need for support in tackling polarising dynamics that divide students and thus endanger peaceful and respectful daily life at school. The municipality addressed this need by carrying out an online training programme for future secondary school teachers to provide them not only with theoretical insights and knowledge about radicalisation processes and polarisation dynamics, but also to focus on their practical and communication skills. The aim is to teach concrete methods on how to react to students who incite polarising and antagonistic debates, as well as how to establish classrooms as safe spaces where students can freely discuss their opinions and beliefs. The training programme will be evaluated and made available for a larger number of teachers or future teachers in Rotterdam and beyond.

City of Stuttgart: tackling polarisation by training Respect Guides

The Municipality of Stuttgart decided to address the issue of polarisation as they perceived rising tensions between different groups of society due to and subsequent to several incidents at public pools, where employees and lifeguards were insulted and even attacked. These incidents, which coincided with similar events in other German cities, provoked widespread media attention and led to growing controversies. To a certain extent, immigrants and young people were blamed for the events and stigmatised as disrespectful. The discussion

was shaped by false accusations and misleading generalisations. These incidents, as well as other observations, led the City of Stuttgart to focus on the topic of respect and to decide to tackle the evolving polarising dynamics. The Respect Guides pilot project aimed at fostering social cohesion by promoting the importance of respectful, fair and peaceful interactions among all citizens, particularly in public spaces. The project was based on a peer-to-peer approach and enhanced dialogue between young people and other groups of society. By reaching out to citizens and engaging them in dialogue about respectful and peaceful communal life, the volunteers were also acting as intermediaries between the city and the public. Furthermore, as they were representing different local population groups, the Respect Guides helped emphasise the opportunities that arise from immigration and diversity. The city launched a public campaign to recruit volunteers, predominantly among young adults. They all received training on their mission as Respect Guides and basic knowledge about communication strategies and conflict management. When performing their duties in public spaces such as pools, parks and plazas, they were always accompanied by municipal staff and sometimes conducted joint missions with police officers. The city provided constant support in the form of occasions to reflect on the missions and advanced training sessions. The pilot project was implemented in cooperation with several partners, such as police, conflict trainers deployed by a street workers’ network, youth associations and the city-owned company in charge of public swimming pools. This cooperative approach strengthened the city’s general approach to security, called Stuttgart’s ‘partnership for security’. Above all, the pilot project confirmed the assumption that the majority of young people are open to dialogue and cooperation, if approached on equal terms and addressed by low-threshold communication.

Key attention points and recommendations: recruiting volunteer Respect Guides requires constant support and supervision, as well as training in communication and conflict management provided by professionals. When being deployed, volunteers should always be accom-

panied by municipal staff, police or other professionals. The limits and boundaries of their missions must be clearly communicated and followed: volunteers cannot and should not act in unsafe situations where professional mediation or even police intervention is required.

Department of Val d’Oise: educational and cultural activities to decrease tensions between police and youngsters

The Val d’Oise local pilot project was implemented as part of its specialised prevention policy in the cities of Argenteuil and Villiers-le-Bel and focused on tensions between police and youngsters. It aimed at understanding the views from each side; nuancing and developing the perception and the representation of the two groups and creating favourable conditions for dialogue; and strengthening the links and trust between professionals involved in the regulation of juvenile behaviour in public spaces. In light of these objectives, the pilot project of Val d’Oise was divided into four mutually reinforcing and complementary sub-activities. The Valdocco association – active in the field of specialised prevention – started working with a group of 4-5 young girls on writing a screenplay in order to make a short film on the theme of police-population relations. The girls were able to meet police officers and interact. This exchange nourished the final phase of the implementation of the short film.

This activity is complemented by another educational and artistic action led by the Contact association, also working in the field of specialised prevention. Under this activity, Contact works with youngsters to transcribe, with the help of a professional editor working for a publishing company, their experiences with and perceptions of the police. It is also foreseen, if possible, to carry out the same activity with volunteer police officers. The texts will constitute the basis of a cross-cutting review and potentially a meeting between representatives of the two groups. In addition, a working group on police-youth relations is foreseen to be

set up, gathering police officers and specialised prevention educators. It will discuss ways to diffuse tensions between the two groups and dispel prejudice and misrepresentations. Finally, the fourth action will consist of theatre performances on the theme of police-population relations followed by a debate. The Théâtre en Stock association will deliver this activity. The play will be written for the Departmental Council of Val d’Oise, with the involvement of police officers and specialised prevention associations. The play is foreseen to be offered to specialised prevention associations that could mobilise young people to participate. Key attention points and recommendations: create a safe place for dialogue; establish trust with each concerned group before trying to work on the subject with them; and engage in artistic and cultural activities under the supervision of experts and professionals in order to build a bridge between the different groups.

City of Vaulx-en-Velin: a deepened assessment to objectivise the level and form of polarisation and elaborate a local prevention strategy

The municipality’s local pilot project sought to carry out an in-depth, objective analysis of local polarisation – which is actually not clearly identified, described or well known by the local actors and citizens in Vaulx-en-Velin – and to identify indicators through which the city can locally monitor the evolution of polarisation. Based on the findings, a sustainable, long-term objective was also associated with the results of the pilot activity, namely to elaborate concrete courses of action to prevent the identified manifestations of polarisation. To implement these actions, Vaulx-en-Velin designs the methodology for an in-depth diagnostic, identifies quantitative evaluation indicators of local polarisation, and designs/readapts relevant qualitative assessment tools (e.g. questionnaires). In the following stage, data and information are to be collected in relation to the identified indicators. Afterwards, the next steps concern the registration of the data collected and the analysis of the results.

To implement the planned activities, two types of partnerships have to be established and mobilised. The first is a partnership with an expert/ professional from the field of research and academia, with knowledge of polarisation and experience in the elaboration of relevant indicators and analysis of results. This is in order to design a methodology that allows an objectified analysis of the raw data collected. The second type of partnership gathers local actors and aims at collecting qualitative and quantitative data. Such local actors include, for example, the relevant municipal services, representatives of the police and the citizens who could also provide the local authority with the necessary information and data.

Key attention points and recommendations: for an in-depth assessment of polarisation, the local authority should work with a relevant expert who has specific knowledge of polarisation and the elaboration of relevant indicators to collect representative data, as well as the analysis of data; local partnerships should be established and mobilised to collect relevant information and data; and the results should be presented in a manner that may nourish a long-term, sustainable strategy to prevent polarisation, which can include suggestions for specific actions; lastly, such a strategy should be fully integrated into the existing, overall security strategy.

Region of Umbria: inquiring into the spread of zero-sum thinking and training local stakeholders

The Region of Umbria conducted a regional polarisation audit that revealed not only an increasing poverty rate and other negative socio-economic factors, but also a downward trend in political participation and the increasing spread of hate speech against immigrants. As the audit’s findings revealed the presence of polarisation among the region’s citizens, the regional authority decided to further investigate the phenomenon by measuring the spread of zero-sum thinking within the population. A survey, based on a psycho-diagnostic instrument designed to measure the presence of zero-sum thinking, was carried out in cooperation with the University of Perugia and other experts. In order to include a wide range of individuals representing the diversity

of the population’s socio-economic, cultural and educational background, the research used both a paper and an online questionnaire. The paper questionnaire was given out in doctors' surgeries and hairdresser salons, as well as to groups of residents in different municipalities. The online questionnaire was predominantly filled in by university students. The survey results showed a greater diffusion of potential polarisation phenomena among individuals with lower education levels, people aged between 35 and 60, and residents of the urban suburbs and the less-populated municipalities. Following this survey, a training programme for multiple stakeholders – including police, municipal staff, lawyers and representatives of various civil society organisations – was carried out. The purpose was to inform about and discuss the phenomenon of polarisation, disseminate the survey’s findings and raise awareness. The training programme included sessions on crime prevention and integrated urban security approaches, as well as on the phenomenon of hate speech. In order to continue efforts to raise awareness of polarisation and to capitalise on the experience and knowledge achieved to date, the region produced a publication that will be disseminated to other local and regional authorities. The Region of Umbria conducted its pilot project activities in cooperation with academic experts and the University of Perugia, municipalities in and beyond the region, police, bar associations, civil society organisations, physicians and hairdressers. Key attention points and recommendations: conducting a survey on the spread of zero-sum thinking requires the involvement of experts, such as academics. Ethical and legal aspects must be carefully considered and all research and data collection activities must be compliant with national and EU legislation. In particular, collaboration with professionals in sensitive areas such as GP surgeries and hairdressers requires extensive preparation and precautionary measures to guarantee the confidentiality of the information and anonymity of respondents.

Part 4

Integrating polarisation in urban security policies – recommendations for local and regional authorities

The following section provides methodological and operational recommendations for local authorities on the elaboration of local safety audits and the design and implementation of sustainable local strategies and activities that aim to prevent or mitigate polarisation. All measures and efforts to diagnose and tackle polarisation at the local or regional level should be aligned with and integrated into the city’s or region’s general prevention strategies, policies and initiatives. They should build on existing networks and complement existing practices to promote social cohesion and enhance community resilience. As polarisation is a manifold and complex phenomenon that impacts multiple layers and spheres of society, successful prevention and mitigation strategies require a cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach. Thus, various municipal services (social services and education, police and health services) as well as stakeholders such as youth associations, citizens’ initiatives and community leaders should be involved in the development and implementation of polarisation prevention strategies.

Tackling a sensitive topic

Addressing polarisation is challenging and requires the involvement of a range of local actors and local stakeholders. Yet, their respective perceptions of local realities and the dynamics and assumptions about the causes of polarisation may vary significantly. Determining whether the local population exhibits phenomena of polarisation and which behaviour, action and situation is correctly described as polarising should be conducted carefully and requires transparency and clarification of terms and understandings. Engaging a variety of local actors to elaborate a shared and common understanding of the local situation is thus paramount. Conflicts of interest or tensions between groups or communities are legitimate and constitute the norm in democratic societies. Misusing or light-heartedly applying the label ‘polarisation’ can (unintentionally) discredit the legitimate claims of one or another group and thus elicit further tensions and lead to polarisation.

When local realities display sharpened conflicts and polarising dynamics between groups or communities, the municipality must be aware that representatives of local government or police cannot act as ‘bridge builders’ themselves, as they are most likely not perceived as impartial representatives of a trustworthy institution by all actors involved.

Tackling polarisation in the midst of a highly divisive controversy that affects the local population necessitates precautions and strategies that might be, to some extent, counter-intuitive. As polarisation thrives on constant attention to reinforce divisive narratives, mitigating activities should not be addressed to the ‘troublemakers’ or ‘pushers’ of polarisation themselves. A local authority that addresses polarising actors while polarising dynamics are still unfolding and unresolved might unintentionally legitimate their claims and amplify underlying divisive narratives. On the contrary, activities to mitigate polarisation should, at first, focus on target groups that do not actively take part in the sharpened conflict, the so-called ‘silent middle ground’. Communication strategies about measures to mitigate sharpened conflicts and tensions should take into account existing polarising narratives and avoid (unintentionally) reinforcing presumed labels and stereotypes of either group involved28 .

Political will – the role of local and regional elected officials

Political support and engagement, as well as active communication of elected officials about objectives and strategies to tackle polarisation, are necessary for the effective implementation of preventive and mitigating measures. Elected officials’ political discourse and public acts are highly symbolic and can serve as an example and leverage within the local or regional context. Such discourses and acts can also have a spillover effect at the national and even international level. As such, local and regional politicians should refrain from any kind of polarising discourse themselves and always, under all circumstances (including campaigning), promote inclusivity and tolerance.

28- See Efus (2017), Preventing Discriminatory Violence at the Local Level: Practices and Recommendations.

The political will and engagement of elected officials should be expressed through transparent communication both internally (with their own teams) and externally (with the local citizens), as well as in financial support and adequate resources to tackle the problem. This will give political legitimacy and public acknowledgement to the strategies and activities that are carried out.

Building on a shared vision for the city

Elaborating a concrete prevention plan to tackle polarisation starts with a broad assessment of the scope and forms of the problem at the local and regional level. As a next step, it requires the formulation of a clear vision about the future of the city. This vision should be shared and supported by all actors involved in the process. It implies collectively defining medium and long-term goals, as well as establishing a common understanding of the objectives and priorities. It enhances multi-stakeholder participation and thus the inclusiveness of the policy-making process. Such a collective effort is most effective when it focuses on highlighting potential, resources and shared experiences rather than deficits and conflicts. Addressing the issue of polarisation based on a broadly shared vision for the future of the city or region fosters public acceptance and support. In order to gain broad support and ensure that the local population is involved in the process – and therefore claims ownership of this vision for the community – informal formats of participation should be put in place that go beyond formal electoral politics. Many municipalities already carry out various forms of citizen participation on a regular basis, ranging from panel discussions with political leaders, town hall meetings, focus groups and ‘future labs’. The development of strategies and measures to tackle polarisation should build on such formats to mobilise and engage the local community in the development of shared goals and a common vision.

Creating a space for dialogue and mutual understanding

Polarisation is characterised by hardened fronts and the absence, or even refusal, of constructive dialogue between opposing groups. Facilitating dialogue between groups and segments of the population is thus of utmost importance to overcome sharpened tensions. Bringing people with diverse viewpoints together requires careful planning and facilitators who are acknowledged and seen as legitimate and impartial, as well as trusted, by all involved. Group dialogue activities should be carried out in a format that ensures equal status and treatment, shared goals, cooperative interaction and institutional support. Initiating dialogue without preparation can perpetuate and entrench intergroup conflict.29 Yet, facilitating intergroup contact, when accompanied by trained practitioners and conducted carefully, can foster participants’ capacities to empathise and can help increase cognitive complexity that translates into openness and correlates to increases in resilience.30 Increasing cognitive complexity by overcoming patterns of black-and-white thinking as well as ‘us-and-them’ thinking is not an easy task. Nevertheless, facilitating participants’ reflection on and expression of their experiences and enabling everyone to share their story while steering away from discussions about the ‘other group’ can be a valuable starting point. Plans to facilitate dialogue should take the actual local context into account. When there is no particular conflict or recent incident, prevention dialogue involving participants representing a variety of backgrounds can foster mutual understanding and help (re-)affirm a commitment to resolving conflicts peacefully and foster positive interactions between groups of the local or regional society. In case of entrenched conflict, dialogue as a part of a mediation process can be helpful. Trained professional local actors (e.g. social workers) could engage the silent middle ground to participate in such a type of event. Members of perceived polarised parties should meet separately to achieve clear aims. Participants should be carefully recruited based

29- See Kelman, H. C., & Fisher, R. J. (2003). 30- See Boyd-MacMillan et al. (2016); Saslow et al. (2014); Pancer et al. (2000).

on their willingness to own the problem and talk about it. The use of polarising rhetoric and intergroup confrontation should be avoided because it will elicit reactive defensiveness and prevent further communication and engagement. When a conflict or incident has been resolved, reconciliation dialogue involving members of polarised groups is a useful format that can help reduce polarising rhetoric, promote measures to contribute constructively in cases of conflict and foster social cohesion.

Actors, networks, partnerships

Based on the previous assessment of existing resources, structures and potential voids, the elaboration and implementation of concrete actions seeking to prevent or mitigate polarisation require teaming up with different actors. Key actors and partnerships should be identified and attributed specific roles (i.e. bridge builders or bridging agents) and tasks. These actors and partnerships should represent public services and civil society organisations, while also including informal structures and individuals.

Such an approach might require the involvement of organisations that are not yet part of the municipal networks, or with whom the municipality does not have formal contacts or officialised relations yet. In this regard, it is important to elaborate targeted communication strategies that seek to explain the reasons why being part of a local prevention scheme can be seen as an acknowledgement of one’s role and responsibility within the community, while aiming to respond to the potential concerns the actors may have concerning the ‘negative’ effects at stake (e.g. enhanced responsibility, potential criticism arising from some segments of the local society, etc.) While local actors are key to a prevention strategy, they might not be sufficient to implement all relevant tasks. Cooperation with regional or national institutions in terms of additional expertise and resources could be highly useful. Such a multilevel and multi-stakeholder collaboration can provide the activity with diverse fields of expertise and background knowledge. Consequently, continuous exchange among

policymakers, researchers and practitioners contributes to the elaboration of local, on-the-ground strategies and tools. This multilevel and multi-stakeholder collaboration can further enhance a whole-of-society approach and can contribute to the real and perceived level of legitimacy of the actions carried out.

Capacity building

Polarisation affects individuals, communities and society as a whole, as well as institutions, and poses a challenge to a multiplicity of policy fields and practitioners. Addressing this challenge requires a variety of skills, competencies and knowledge. The phenomenon of polarisation is not ‘new’ as such, but its contexts and dynamics vary and evolve over time.

To effectively address polarisation and its various expressions, it is necessary to take stock of existing skills, competencies and expertise that can be built upon, and to identify additional needs for targeted training and capacity building. These needs can be linked to a range of domains: the particular role of social media in polarisation processes and the importance of social media skills and tools in responding to this challenge; the rise of new political players that are fuelling polarisation and about whom knowledge is not yet widely available; and the specific expression of polarisation and its underlying narratives, for instance with regard to questions of religion or global conflicts. Based on the assessment of relevant actors and their roles and expertise, the preparation of any prevention scheme should thus detail the specific needs for additional training to provide appropriate background information and knowledge, as well as enhance skills and competencies to respond. This will have to include reflective trauma-informed professional practices, including supervision arrangements (e.g. with senior colleagues, peer-led, and mentoring opportunities) to reduce the risk of compassion fatigue and vicarious and secondary trauma. The latter benefits from the on-going presence and availability of mental health professionals for confidential consultations and support without stigma or negative professional consequences.

Starting point – local and regional polarisation audits

The initial step and cornerstone of any further concrete actions when seeking to prevent or mitigate polarisation is the design and implementation of local and regional polarisation audits (cf. Part 2). This context-specific diagnostic is crucial to improving knowledge on the polarisation of the local or regional population and providing an evidence base for the development of prevention and mitigation measures. Preventive measures can only be elaborated and implemented efficiently if relevant data – with respect to the local, regional, national and European legal and ethical frameworks and requirements – is collected about the state of play of polarisation at the local level and about the risk and protective factors and actors. In order to carry out a reliable audit, local and regional authorities should rely on adequate methodologies as well as on expert support. Existing prevention strategies, policies and initiatives should be regularly reviewed and evaluated on the basis of newly acquired knowledge and evidence. Data on the state of play of polarisation in a given local territory (local and regional level) should be regularly published (e.g. in annual reports). Furthermore, local safety practitioners should be trained to audit and monitor continuous tensions and polarisation dynamics in their respective local context. Given that polarisation is a rapidly evolving phenomenon that is nowadays predominantly thriving on social media, municipalities should reinforce their resources and capacities to carry out regular social media monitoring. They should design campaigns and strategies to counter divisive and polarising narratives that affect the discourse or increase existing tensions and conflicts at the local or regional level. It is recommended to engage relevant local and regional stakeholders, in particular local media outlets, social media and influencers, in a joint effort to debunk polarising narratives, rumours, hate speech and conspiracy theories that affect and harm the local community. Analysing the local or regional context starts with a general examination of demographics, economic, social and other characteristics of the city. Data on poverty levels, average income, school dropout rates, unemployment, access to health services (including mental health),

access to apprenticeships, housing availability and quality, access to public transport and childcare services can help assess underlying structural inequalities and risk factors that can contribute to marginalisation and could therefore serve as breeding ground for polarisation. Based on the results of the analysis, it is of crucial importance to establish a profile of risk factors for individuals or groups – including their gender, age and socio-economic characteristics – and identify any protective factors or sources of resilience and well-being already in place for these individuals or groups. Mapping the protective factors includes the identification of local stakeholders who work in areas or with groups that have been identified as exhibiting tensions and polarisation. It also includes the assessment of existing structures and programmes within the political and institutional environment that can contribute to the development of preventive or mitigating actions, as well as the determination of the city’s or region’s opportunities, strengths and potential, that could contribute to enhancing social cohesion and fostering citizen participation. It is equally important to identify and build on opportunities to connect with local people, to engage with them in direct dialogue to resolve conflicts and their harmful consequences and also to strengthen their obligations to each other through recognition of shared interests. This can, for instance, be achieved through processes and tools such as the restorative circles that were developed by the restorative justice approach. Equally, based on the results of the audit, it is advised to elaborate an internal and external communication plan that can allow the municipality to start raising awareness among the local public on the phenomenon and the actions to be taken.

Steps forward – elaborating local actions

When elaborating concrete local activities based on the results of the audit, it is important to build on existing, previously identified resources, as well as on actors and structures identified during the local polarisation audit.

Besides the mobilisation of the identified resources, local authorities should take into account the necessity of ensuring that citizens feel a sense of ownership when it comes to the design and implementation of the local actions. The development of concrete initiatives and policies should be based on a whole-of-society approach that involves all the relevant stakeholders and includes local citizens. Therefore, local and regional authorities shall empower and create trust with community referents who – due to their proximity to and knowledge about the different local population groups and the polarising factors and actors present within these groups – can effectively engage in a joined-up approach with all the relevant stakeholders, including the citizens. Citizens being on board with and claiming ownership of the foreseen measures and strategies increases the legitimacy and sustainability of the actions.

Addressing polarisation requires measures and approaches that not only aim to provide the local communities with short-term, ad hoc responses, but also with long-term solutions and sustainable impacts. Strategies and measures aimed at addressing polarisation should be linked to overall long-term strategies and policies. Such initiatives and solutions should be designed in an agile and flexible manner, meaning that they should be adaptable if a change in the local context requires it. Regular evaluation can contribute to the mapping of the relevance and pertinence of the initiatives in question and indicate the way forward to a re-adaptation. Prior to the practical design of concrete preventive and counter measures, both the general and concrete long-term policy goals shall be defined with regards to, for instance, social cohesion, integration, socio-economic development, anti-discrimination, youth work, and educational and employment programmes. Local authorities can provide equal opportunity, for example, by designing urban policies and initiatives that mitigate structural inequalities and marginalisation. Furthermore, in order to legitimise all these actions and create a favourable context for their effective implementation, local and regional authorities should communicate in a transparent manner, both inter-

nally and externally, on the foreseen actions and their short, medium and long-term objectives. Concrete, practical local activities to tackle polarisation should be appreciated as an integral part of a comprehensive and sustainable response tailored to local contexts, needs and priorities. For the effective development of these activities, the following aspects and reflections should be taken into account.

Sustainable approaches to tackling polarisation

Activities to prevent or mitigate polarisation should be aligned and coherent with the municipality’s general prevention strategies and policies and aim at achieving long-term and sustainable objectives and outcomes. While the importance of sustainability is widely acknowledged, building sustainable initiatives requires careful planning early on, as well as the implementation of continuous monitoring processes. To this end, the preconditions, the scope and the concrete and common objectives of the strategies and activities to prevent or mitigate polarisation must be determined. It is crucial to inquire whether the new initiative will address polarisation in an effective and meaningful way and to determine whether the proposed activities resonate with and reach out to the polarised groups or communities, e.g. by enabling a shared use of local resources by polarised groups or by providing platforms and opportunities to promote and enable the identification of shared values and goals. Another important aspect is to review if the foreseen measures are in accordance with existing strategies and initiatives, and how the new activities and initiatives can be integrated into the routines and habits of the responsible organisations and actors. Determining the activities’ success can be achieved through a variety of different approaches: by formally evaluating the implementation process and the outcomes of the activities, by establishing structures and systems to enable reflexive monitoring, for instance ongoing informal assessments, status reports, peer and senior colleague supervision and mentoring. These preparations should include formalised

processes of record-keeping and documentation, as well as the collective definition of the indicators and markers of success shared by all actors and stakeholders involved in the activity. Working with a variety of different stakeholders and actors might require regular reflection on the activities’ objectives and expected outcomes in order to enable a shared vision, as well as a clear definition and agreement on common goals for all involved.

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Tools and Projects

Filter Bubble : https://www.filterbubble.lu/ LIAISE 1 & 2 – Prevention of radicalisation leading to violent extremism. Led by Efus, co-funded by the Internal Security Fund of the European Union. Presentation of the stages of the development of a local strategy for the prevention of radicalisation, from political mobilisation to its design, diagnosis and assessment. Methodological advice is provided, explaining the potential obstacles to the strategy and ways to overcome them. LOUD – Local young leaders for inclusion. Led by Efus, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. Strengthening the capacity of local authorities and young people to produce alternative narratives, combat prejudice and enhance social cohesion.

Alternative narrative methods and local campaigns produced by the young people of the municipality addressed to their peers with the aim of fostering inclusive environments for young people to prevent them from drifting into intolerance and extremist behaviours. Newscraft: https://newscraftseriousgame.com/

PRACTICIES – Partnership Against Violent Radicalisation in Cities. Co-led by the University of Toulouse II – Le Mirail (France). 100% funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation. Prevention tools against hate speech. Prevention practices that address violent radicalisation at European, national and local level.

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BRIDGE - Understanding and addressing polarisation at the local level

Pervading extremist opinions, sharpening forms of intergroup conflict and proliferating forms of ‘us-and-them’ thinking seem to increasingly mark the reality of many European societies today. While such forms of polarisation are often intertwined with transnational phenomena such as financial crises, migration movements, international terrorism or pandemics, they deeply impact social life at the local level. This publication sheds light on how polarisation unfolds and how it impacts municipalities and regions across Europe. It gathers tools, practical examples and recommendations on how local and regional governments can better understand, diagnose and act against polarisation.