Radicalization of youth leading to violent extremism in the form of terrorism is an urgent problem considering the rise of young people joining extremist groups of different ideologies. Previous research on the impact of counter-terrorism polices has highlighted negative outcomes such as stigmatizing minority groups. Drawing on qualitative research conducted under the PROTON project (2016–2019) by CREA-UB on the social and ethical impact of counter-terrorism policies in six EU countries, the present article presents and discusses the ways in which actions characterized by creating spaces for dialogue at the grassroots level are contributing to prevent youth violent radicalization. The results highlight four core elements underlying these spaces for dialogue: providing guidance to be safe in the exploration of extremist messages and violent radicalization; the rejection of violence; that dialogue is egalitarian; and that relationships are built on trust so that adolescents and young adults feel confident to raise their doubts. If taken into account, these elements can serve to elaborate dialogic evidence-based policies. The policies which include a dialogue between the scientific evidence and the people affected by them once implemented, achieve positive social impact.

This study analyzed whether it was possible to successfully transfer an experience of dialogic literary gatherings (DLGs) developed in a prison in the Basque Country (Spain), which was found to enhance the participants’ readiness to return to their communities. A case study was conducted in a different prison in Catalonia that comprised interviews and focus groups with a group of female prisoners and volunteers involved in the DLG. The communicative analysis conducted showed that the replication of the DLG allowed the participants to discuss and reflect on their biographies and their expected pathways upon release, thus opening possibilities for personal and social change. The results show that participants perceived the DLG as a helpful resource for social reintegration and suggest that DLGs can be transferred to different correctional institutions.

Gender violence in Spanish universities remains a taboo that is in the process of transformation. The first research on this issue was conducted between 2005 and 2008. The main objective was to “break the silence” about violence against women in Spanish academia. To achieve this aim, data collection was conducted through mixed communicative methods. For the interviewees, the context created by this research made it possible for the first time to establish a space to speak openly about this problem, in contrast to the existing context in which aggressors have remained unpunished. The inclusion of students’ voices together with those of administrative staff and professors allowed for the identification of situations of gender violence. This research has had a significant impact on Spanish universities’ policies. Despite some institutional barriers that make the implementation of structural changes more difficult, many offices for equality and protocols against gender violence have been created.

Some Men. Feminist Allies and the Movement to End Violence against Women