Preventing polarization: An empirical evaluation of a dialogue training

Abstract

Governments implement many anti-polarization-programs to prevent radicalization. Evaluations of these programs give insights in either (psychological) effects, program-mechanisms or contexts, but often do not show how they interact. This study provided such a model and increased awareness of the psychological complexity behind polarization prevention. We evaluated a dialogue-training that aimed to prevent polarization by giving adolescents with ethnic minority backgrounds a platform that enables them to discuss their societal opinions. Our evaluation showed what the psychological impact was by quantitatively (N = 32, pre- and post-test) and qualitatively assessing changes in their polarization belief system and critical thinking. Complementary, we showed why this was the psychological impact by analyzing interviews, manuals and theories of change within the Realist Evaluation Model that explains how Program-Mechanisms foster Outcome-patterns in certain Contexts. The qualitative evaluation-results showed that dialogue-trainings can stimulate critical societal participation. The possible complexity behind polarization prevention becomes salient in observed changes in the polarization belief system. Some adolescents expressed polarizing attitudes more negatively after participating. Though counter-intuitive, we discuss how these exploratory results could stand for improved awareness of own societal positions, expression skills and resilience towards isolation and polarization. Yet, after-care seems an often forgotten, but necessary contextual component.

Keywords

• polarization
• polarization prevention
• evaluation
• realist evaluation method
• realist evaluation model