Extremism researcher Julia Ebner receives prestigious CEU Open Society Prize

VIENNA, June 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Austrian born Julia Ebner was honored with Central European University's (CEU) Open Society Prize in Vienna on June 21^st amid the festivities of CEU's graduation ceremony for its cohort of over 600 doctoral, masters, and bachelor students. 

"By awarding the prestigious CEU Open Society Prize to Dr. Julia Ebner, CEU acknowledges her extraordinary courage amidst persistent personal peril and applauds her admirable commitment to the core principles of open societies," said CEU President and Rector Shalini Randeria. "A researcher, who has analyzed the mechanisms and root causes of extremism, which is one of the most dangerous threats to democracy, she reminds us of the urgency of putting in place effective counter-measures. Her remarkable scholarly contribution to exposing strategies of radicalization fosters a broader understanding of what's at stake." 

Ebner is a leading expert in the field of online radicalization, courageously exploring the complex domains of far-right and Islamist extremism. By uncovering recruitment strategies, propaganda machines, and online networks, she has provided unique insight into tactics of extremist organizations as well as recommendations on effectively countering them. 

A postdoctoral researcher leading the Violent Extremism Lab at Oxford's Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, her scholarship has informed policy and sparked crucial discussions around dismantling the engines of online radicalization. 

"I am deeply moved and honored to receive the CEU Open Society Prize," Ebner said. "The global shift towards an increasingly illiberal political landscape makes the study of anti-democratic, anti-minority and anti-science mobilization even more important. Against this background, this award is not only an extraordinary recognition of my work, but an encouraging signal to others whose work focuses on analyzing, exposing and preventing the drivers and mechanisms of today's global resurgence of the far-right." 

The CEU Open Society Prize is awarded annually to an outstanding individual or group of persons whose achievements have promoted democracy and open societies, both of which are founding principles of CEU. Previous winners include Sir Karl Popper, Nobel Laurate for Literature Svetlana Alexievich, the seventh Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, former Minister for Health for Kerala, India, K.K. Shailaja Teacher. Last year, six outstanding women received the prize for their courageous fight against gender discrimination, and championing women's education in Afghanistan. 

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SOURCE Central European University (CEU)