Podcast on the Prevention of Extremist Violence

In this episode, zeina ismail-allouche welcomes Mackenzie Hart, an emerging researcher whose personal journey and on-the-ground experience shape a thoughtful reflection on the newest frontiers of violent extremism and the wellbeing of those who study it. Recorded before the passing of Garth Davies and shared in his memory, this conversation is connected to his pioneering work on nihilistic extremi...

It is with profound sadness that we share this episode in memory of Garth Davies, who tragically passed away in March 2026. With the blessing of his loved ones, we have chosen to publish this conversation to honour his memory and legacy, and to share the depth of his passion for his work in the prevention field. Garth was an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology at Simon Fraser Universi...

In this episode, Zeina Ismail-Allouche is joined by Audrey Gagnon, Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa, for a thoughtful conversation about studying the far right from within one’s own community, as well as the ethical responsibilities that come with it. Hear them discuss: How the 2015 refugee crisis became a turning point that revealed the mainstreaming of far-right ideas in Canada an...

zeina ismail-allouche sits down with Melanie Bania, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Safer Communities (CCFSC), to discuss what it truly means to build safer communities. Not through enforcement alone, but through prevention, equity, and authentic human connection. Listen to them explore: CCFSC’s mandate and how it looks at safety from a balanced and intersectoral perspective of incor...

zeina ismail-allouche welcomes Amarnath Amarasingam for an open and enthralling discussion about what it means to research violent extremism from the inside. Listen to: How Dr. Amarasingam’s own refugee history fleeing civil war in Sri Lanka, and his positionality as a person of color, opened unexpected doors to fieldwork with active foreign fighters in Syria. The complex and deeply personal motiv...

In this foundational episode, Ghayda Hassan sits down with Robert Burley, Executive Director of the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence, and Nicole Fournier-Sylvester, Acting Manager of Engagement, for an in-depth conversation on the Centre’s mandate, priorities, and role within the Government of Canada’s broader strategy to prevent radicalization to violence. Togethe...

To open our third season, Ghayda Hassan is joined by Louis Audet-Gosselin and Marc-André Argentino, Senior Research Advisors at the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence, for a timely and forward-looking conversation on research, policy development, and the evolving landscape of preventing radicalization to violence. Together, they explore: How research conducted at the...

For the final episode of this season featuring our international guests, Ghayda speaks with Arne Augustini, a deradicalization expert based in Berlin, Germany, at Grüner Vogel e. V. ("Green Bird"). Their conversation touches on: Why, when dealing with clients radicalized in the name of religion, it's behavioral change—not religious belief—that needs to be addressed; Working with retu...

In this week's episode, tune in as Ghayda Hassan has an enriching conversation with Ray Finch, Director of Disability Services at New Zealand Health Group, about disability and violent extremism. Together, they explore: - Who is considered a person living with a disability? ; - The loneliness epidemic among disabled people ; - How some disabled individuals may be especially vulnerable to onlin...

This episode, Ghayda Hassan joins in conversation with Diana Miconi, professor of educational psychology at Université de Montréal and expert in youth social polarizations. Together, they dive into some pressing and complex questions: Are radical or activist youth really the ones most likely to support violence? What systemic factors drive young people toward violent acts? How can schools address...

This week, our host, Ghayda Hassan, welcomes Dr. Thomas Meysen, Managing Director of SOCLES International Centre for Socio-Legal Studies. Together, they discuss: Co-constructing research with victims of violence ; The value of mixed methods and iterative processes ; The challenges of researching prevention practices. Join us for an engaging conversation, and as always, thank you for listening!

In a world where nihilism is on the rise, how can we keep youth engaged? Our host, Ghayda Hassan, sits down with Sharif Mahdy, CEO of the Students Commission of Canada, to explore: The importance of the Commission’s Four Pillars; How to break down barriers between generations; The impact of online information overload on youth. Tune in for an insightful conversation!

And we're back for a second season—now fully in English! In this episode, our host, Ghayda Hassan, director and founder of CPN-PREV, sits down with Alex and Julian, two dedicated practitioners from Germany’s Violence Prevention Network. Together, they dive into the complex world of violence prevention and share invaluable insights from the field. Topics include: Why practitioners themselves ar...

Écoutez Sarah Ousman nous parler de : L'utilité de cartographier l'offre de services dans le domaine; Ses aventures dans le cadre de son travail humanitaire; La mise en place d'une cartographie canadienne des services de prévention; Les nombreux projets du RPC-PREV en lien avec la cartographie. Pour consulter la carte interactive et les rapports de cartographie mentionnés dans l'épisode : https://...

Deux invitées cette semaine! Écoutez Paola Porcelli (Ph. D.) et Sabrina Paillé nous parler de : La nature des dites capacités qu'on souhaite renforcer; Les difficultés en lien avec le renforcement; La complexité derrière la réalisation du « E-Learning »; Les aléas des formations données virtuellement. Pour vous préinscrire au fameux « E-Learning » dont il est question dans cet épisode : ⁠https://c...

Écoutez Ghayda Hassan (Ph. D.) nous parler de : Les raisons derrière la fondation du Réseau; Les bases du travail clinique en prévention; Les manières de gérer la frontière entre l'écoute empathique et l'exposition aux discours haineux; Le rôle des réseaux sociaux en regard de l'extrémisme violent; Quoi faire lorsqu'on soupçonne qu'un·e proche glisse vers l'extrémisme violent.

Écoutez Zeina Ismail-Allouche (Ph. D.) nous parler de : Ses enjeux identitaires liés à la colonisation; Son parcours de militante non-violente; Ce qui définit l'intersectionnel par rapport au multisectoriel; Ses expériences professionnelles liées à la protection de l'enfance.

Écoutez Sébastien Brouillette-Alarie (Ph. D.) nous parler de : Son parcours professionnel et ses motivations à travailler dans le domaine; Les professions englobées par la dénomination de « praticien·ne·s »; L'évolution du domaine de la prévention au cours des dernières décennies; Le rôle de la recherche par rapport à la pratique.