Understanding and Reducing Violent Extremism
AVERT brings together Australia's leading social scientists and humanities researchers to produce evidence-based research that matters — for policy, practice, and public good.
News & Events
Latest News
All news →20 July 2026
AVERT National Research Symposium 2026: Youth and Extremism
International submissions welcome: Researchers and practitioners from any country are warmly invited to submit proposals. The 2026 AVERT Youth and Extremism Symposium welcomes and …
15 June 2026
Welcome to the AVERT Executive Committee: Andrew Zammit
We are pleased to welcome Andrew Zammit as the newest member of our Executive Committee. Andrew Zammit is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Victoria University and his research car…
30 April 2025
Successful Applicants Announced – Phase 2 of the National CVE Research Project
We are pleased to announce the successful applicants for Phase 2 of the National Research Project, Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) research that supports policy and practice in …
14 March 2025
Call for Papers: Society for Terrorism Research International Conference 2025
The Society for Terrorism Research (STR) has opened its call for papers for the 17th STR International Conference, to be held in July 2025 at Royal Holloway, University of London. …
Upcoming Events
All events →Wednesday 7 October 2026, 16:30–17:30 AEDT
07:30–08:30 AM CEST
Bodies of Defence: Far-Right Women and Militant Femininities in Germany and Europe
This webinar will explore how women in far-right movements across Germany and Europe use social media, particularly Instagram, to shape and promote far-right ideas and identities. It will examine how female influencers and networks from a range of far-right communities - including New Right groups, ethnonationalist movements, political parties, music scenes, and football supporter networks - use images to spread common messages and connect with one another across national borders. The webinar will look at how these women combine themes of threat, protection, rebellion, and strength to portray themselves as defenders of the nation and Europe. It will also examine how these visual narratives are shared between countries, helping to increase the visibility and influence of far-right women across Europe. Rather than arguing that these images directly encourage violence, the webinar will explore how they reinforce ideas about conflict, sacrifice, enemies, and the need to defend society. It argues that while women have long played roles in far-right movements, social media has given them a much more prominent and influential public role in shaping the movement's identity and messaging.
Viktoria Rösch
Research Associate, GERDEA and DEMOREG Projects, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
Commentary
Royal commission report doesn't help us start making sense of Bondi terror attack
Justice Virginia Bell has handed the governor-general her interim findings from the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responde…
We can't coerce our way to social cohesion. Here's what else governments should be doing
Last week, Queensland followed the New South Wales and federal parliaments by passing stronger hate crime laws in response to the Bondi terror attack.
Is Australia's terrorism definition still fit for purpose?
With the alleged attempted bombing at Perth's Invasion Day protest now declared a terrorist act, the release of coronial findings into the Bondi Westfield stabbing, and ever-growin…
What is extremism, and how do we decide?
As controversy over Australia's new hate laws continues, last weekend's so-called March for Australia rallies were the latest in a string of events that have raised the temperature…
With its new laws, the government is tackling hate speech quickly, but not properly
On Tuesday, in response to the Bondi terrorist attack and mounting pressure to take strong action, the Albanese government released draft legislation to counter hate crime and stre…
How Australia's anti‑immigration rallies were amplified online by the global far right
Over the weekend, rallies were staged across various Australian cities under the branding "March for Australia". The rallies, which were attended by avowed neo-Nazis and elected po…
