Welcome to Volume 13, Issue 3 of the monthly VOX-Pol Newsletter.
The Only Way is Ethics: Next Gen Networks Unite
The University of Southampton’s Centre for Criminology in the Digital Age is excited to convene an event dedicated to supporting the next generation of researchers working at the cutting edge of sensitive, ethically complex research. This session brings together leading research centres and networks committed to fostering community, sharing resources, and strengthening ethical practice across institutions.
The event is designed as an open, supportive space where early-career researchers and PhD students can:
- Discover the networks, communities, and opportunities available
- Learn how to join or engage with centres/networks supporting Next-Gen research/scholarship
- Explore practical ethical challenges through a ‘What you Need’ rather than a ‘What you Should Do’ approach
Contributions from:
- VOX-Pol Next Gen – Jonathan Collins, Leonardo Goodall, Mohamed Elgayar
- Reactionary Politics Research Network – Aurélien Mondon, Antonia Vaughan
- Canadian Network for Research on Security, Extremism and Society – Audrey Gagnon
- Terrorism and Political Violence Next Generation Network – Chloe Squires
- Conflict, Violence and Terrorism Research Centre (CVTRC) – Lea Brost, Ruby Bashir, Kat Osborne
Event date: Monday 27 April, 5-6.30pm BST (Online)
Please sign up here https://forms.office.com/e/enPWBSWeBa
Recent VOX-Pol publications
| Maik Fielitz and Wyn Broderson, of VOX-Pol partner organisation the Institute for Democracy and Civil Society, authored the ‘Handbook of Online Antisemitism‘. The Handbook is aimed particularly at frontline practitioners working in areas such as social work, education and security, as well as many other fields. It is based on an in-depth review of the research literature, a focused digital investigation and interviews with key experts from the relevant European Member States. It offers concise guidance on key terms and debates, outlining essential concepts for a practical understanding. The Handbook focuses particularly on the digital dissemination dynamics of online antisemitism. To identify the motives of perpetrators, it highlights the digital particularities of the phenomenon across the political spectrum, relating them to the key differences and ideological overlaps that contribute to the current complex situation. The handbook presents practical case studies and suitable intervention strategies, as well as potential pitfalls that may arise in real-life situations. It also compiles key resources, materials and points of contact for combatting digital antisemitism. Carol Winkler co-authored the paper ‘Visual Framing in the AI Era: Lessons from Manual Approaches for Computational Methods‘, a methodological paper that compares manual and OpenAI’s ChatGpt4o’s coding of Al-Qaeda and ISIS images across the denotative, semiotic, connotative, and ideological levels. The paper was published in the journal Computational Communication Research. David Wells co-authored the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism’s ‘Practice Guide on AI and PCVE‘, which was launched at a high-level event in New York on 12 February. |
Launch of a new report on AI-driven harms
Allysa Czerwinsky extends an invitation to a launch of a Policy White Paper on AI-Driven Harms, held at the University of Manchester on Monday, March 30th, 2026, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Funded by Responsible AI’s Collaboration Grant Scheme, this project brought together researchers from the University of Manchester, the University of Southampton, and the University of Waterloo (Canada) to examine how AI-driven harms proliferate within online ecosystems. Focusing on AI-generated visuals shared in far-right and male supremacist circles, we discuss key findings from four rapid case studies undertaken by the research team, and offer policy recommendations for both UK and Canadian contexts.
If you’re able to attend, please fill out this Microsoft Form with your contact information and any dietary and access requirements by March 20th, 2026. We’ll be in touch with the building and room number closer to the date, alongside any access information required.
Recently on the VOX-Pol Blog
Recently published on the VOX-Pol Blog
- Between Suspicion and Selection: How Virtual Extremist Communities Filter Newcomers, 4 March 2026, by Christopher V. David and Marten Risius
- Automatically Generating Counter-Speech: Opportunities and Challenges of Using LLMs for CVE, 25 February 2026, by Ellie Rogers
- Why Extremist Innovation Happens First in Sexualised Digital Spaces , 18 February 2026, by Mischa Gerrard
- Masculinity and Militant Traditions: The Shaping of a Home-Grown Irish Far-Right, 11 February 2026, by Joshua Farrell-Molloy
Are you interested in publishing a VOX-Pol Blog post? Read our Blog submission instructions here.
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