Webinars

Disinformation is not a new phenomenon, but new media give it unprecedented momentum. That calls for a tailored approach. In this webinar we expose the impact disinformation can have on local government and look for ways to take action.

Every local government wants to work with impact. But what actually is impact? Do we all mean the same thing by it? And what should you pay attention to when working on themes such as disinformation, hate speech and polarisation?

Local governments deal with polarisation, disinformation and hate speech every day, but do not always have the capacity or expertise to respond efficiently. A collective approach with sustainable goals and new partnerships is needed.

Discover the collective impact model, a cross-sector approach to setting up strong actions with impact.

Local governments relate to citizens both offline and online. Together with Professor Catherine Van de Heyning, we look at what hate speech is, how it can dominate our (online) world and what strategies local governments have to tackle it. 

In this webinar we look more closely at the types of social media users, the mechanisms that can fuel affective polarisation and the practical communication strategies you can use to counter it.

Polarisation in society does not only happen offline. Online, too, people debate, groups dig in their heels and discussions sometimes turn hostile. It is therefore not unusual for cities and municipalities to face online polarisation in response to their own communication. As a local government or organisation, you may think it is better not to respond, but is that really the case? You can in fact influence how healthy and constructive your own online environment is. But how do you do that in practice?

We are often quite clumsy in dealing with polarised topics. We fail to grasp the other’s perspective and make statements that only drive groups further apart. We feel powerless against these social dynamics and often don’t dare to intervene, afraid of getting it wrong. Doing nothing may then seem the least bad option – but is it really a good idea?

What happens when groups of people turn radically against each other? When us-versus-them thinking is propagated so fiercely that only violence seems to be an answer? In this webinar we talk with experts and people with lived experience about the history and denial of the Srebrenica genocide, polarisation and violence, current tensions in the Balkans and the need for education. 

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a great wave of solidarity, but today we also see a lot of polarisation. Street protests are not always free of violence and things sometimes get heated on social media. So the question of how cities and municipalities can best deal with this is becoming ever more pressing. In this webinar we zoom in on the phenomenon of polarisation and look at which interventions are needed. What fuels polarisation and how can we achieve more cohesion?