This news item accompanies the release of the report “Care Democracy & Rising to the Challenge of Everyday Extremism,” authored by Dr. Zona Zarić and Dr. Sandra Obradović.
On 5–6 February 2026, the OppAttune project convened an international Democracy Co-Lab at the Center for Critical Democracy Studies (CCDS) at the American University of Paris, in collaboration with The Open University. Bringing together researchers, practitioners, and students, the event focused on a pressing question: how are democracy and care being reshaped in an era of everyday extremism?
The two-day Co-Lab combined a public colloquium with participatory workshops, creating a space for interdisciplinary exchange across philosophy, political theory, sociology, media studies, and care ethics. Participants examined how contemporary democratic challenges are not only institutional but increasingly embedded in everyday narratives and interactions.
Moving beyond traditional views of extremism
A key insight emerging from the discussions was the need to rethink how extremism operates today. Rather than appearing solely as coherent ideologies or fringe movements, extremism often takes the form of diffuse, everyday narratives circulating through jokes, memes, and conversational tropes—that gradually reshape what is considered acceptable in public discourse.
This perspective aligns with OppAttune’s broader research on “everyday extremism,” highlighting how hostility can become normalised in ordinary settings and across media ecosystems.
Care democracy as a counter-narrative
Central to the Co-Lab was the concept of care democracy an approach that challenges the perceived divide between care (often framed as emotional or private) and democracy (seen as rational and public). Participants explored how narratives that frame care as weakness and democracy as inefficiency are increasingly mobilised to justify exclusionary or authoritarian responses.
In contrast, care democracy offers a framework for understanding how interdependence, solidarity, and relational responsibility can strengthen democratic life and act as counter-narratives to polarisation.
From theory to practice
The Co-Lab emphasised not only conceptual reflection but also practical application. Workshops on the second day focused on translating insights into educational and policy-relevant approaches, including strategies for fostering dialogue, supporting democratic resilience, and addressing the spread of hostile narratives in everyday contexts.
A particularly valuable aspect of the event was the active involvement of students from The Open University, whose contributions helped bridge theoretical discussions with pedagogical practice and real-world application.
Building a shared research agenda
Overall, the Paris Co-Lab marked an important step in advancing OppAttune’s mission to understand and counter oppositional extremism through attuned dialogue. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the event contributed to a growing research agenda that foregrounds the role of narrative, affect, and everyday interaction in shaping democratic futures.
