The need for social work to incorporate democratic counterstrategies that are effective against misanthropy is demonstrated not least by the increasing presence, mobilization, and discourse of misanthropic, prejudiced attitudes and actions throughout society in recent years (Zick et al. 2019), as well as the human rights mandate of social work. In particular, open youth work and school social work have a significant role to play. At the same time, there is a lack of scientific findings on the concrete strategies for dealing with right-wing extremism and the possibilities for action, as well as a well-founded consideration of dealing with right-wing extremism in regular structures of youth work and the implementation of concepts in practice (Baer 2014, p. 316).

The aim of this study is to examine how right-wing extremism and its individual fragmentary components are dealt with in the practice of youth (school) social workers and what options and strategies exist for dealing with it. For this purpose, qualitative interviews with professionals of school and youth social work will be conducted. On the basis of interviews, participatory observations and the analysis of relevant documents, the challenges and possibilities of dealing with ethnic-authoritarian attitudes and actions will be examined at two selected locations. The methodological approach is based on reflexive grounded theory (Charmaz 2010).

Processor: Ina Schäfer