Teaching Against Hate: What RE Can Do To Build Resilience to Far-Right Extremism

Fay Lowe’s research argues that Religious Education (RE) has a distinctive role in helping pupils develop resilience to far-right extremist narratives. This is particularly important for some groups who may be more vulnerable to recruitment, including certain White British working-class boys who can experience feelings of being “left behind”, struggles with identity, or exposure to extremist content online.

Religion and Worldviews education is well placed to address these issues because it explores identity, belonging, religion, prejudice, discrimination and competing worldviews. It also develops pupils’ ability to engage critically with complex ideas and controversial issues. A key finding is that RE is especially effective when it responds to local contexts, allowing teachers to address concerns that are relevant to their communities and pupils’ lived experiences.

Questions for consideration as you watch and read: 

• Where does your RE curriculum currently give pupils opportunities to explore difficult questions about identity, belonging, prejudice and extremism, and where might these opportunities be strengthened?
• Which issues or narratives are particularly relevant in your local context, and how could pupils’ lived experiences inform what you teach and discuss in RE?

• What role should RE play in helping pupils navigate prejudice and extremism?

Key Findings

Pupils want help making sense of difficult issues

Young people regularly encounter information about religion, culture, politics and extremism, particularly online. They recognise that not everything they see is reliable and want opportunities to discuss challenging issues, ask questions and develop informed views. Many pupils identified RE as an appropriate space for these conversations.

RE contributes to moral development

A significant finding is that RE should not only help pupils understand a range of beliefs and worldviews but also support moral development. Teachers can encourage pupils to examine extremist claims critically while making clear why racist, discriminatory and extremist ideologies are morally unacceptable. The research describes this approach as “directive moral inquiry”.

Identity matters

Identity emerged as an important theme throughout the study. Pupils spoke about the influence of social media, online personalities and wider cultural narratives on how they see themselves. RE can help pupils explore identity, belonging, community and values, providing opportunities for reflection at a stage when many young people are developing their sense of self.

Strong agreement between pupils and professionals

Interestingly, pupils and RE professionals were largely in agreement. Both groups felt that RE is an appropriate subject for exploring issues such as racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, prejudice, discrimination, extremism and social division. They also valued discussion, debate and critical reflection as key features of the subject.

Implications for Teachers and Curriculum Planning

The research suggests that RE classrooms should remain places where difficult issues can be explored safely and thoughtfully rather than avoided. Pupils value opportunities to ask questions, debate controversial topics, consider different viewpoints and discuss current affairs.

Topics such as racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, prejudice, discrimination, hate crime, extremism, and freedom of religion or belief should be treated as legitimate and important parts of the RE curriculum.

Critical thinking is central to this work. RE helps pupils develop skills in reasoning, evaluation, source analysis and recognising misinformation or bias. These skills are crucial in helping young people assess competing claims and resist harmful narratives.

The research also highlights the importance of moral reasoning. Pupils should be encouraged to consider questions about right and wrong, how people with different beliefs should be treated, and what responsibilities individuals have in a diverse society.

Overall, the message for RE teachers is clear: RE should be ambitious, critical and relevant. Beyond developing religious literacy, it should help pupils engage with questions of identity, morality, prejudice and belonging, enabling them to navigate an increasingly complex world with confidence and resilience.

Fay Lowe is a Head of RE in a Secondary School in the North of England. She also has a PhD from the University of Glasgow, with research interests including moral education, countering extremism and the education of white British working class boys. She was a member of the Culham St Gabriel’s Trust Doctoral Scholarship programme.

You can contact Fay by emailing: f.lowe.1@research.gla.ac.uk