Prevention of Right-Wing Extremism, Xenophobia and Racism in ...

ernment focused their attention on the question of right-wing extremism. In response to the
rioting that took place, the responsible institutions sought fi rst to determine the instruments
already in place to counter right-wing extremism.
The Federal Department of Justice and the Police formed an interdepartmental working
group (REX), which commissioned the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies to
prepare an experts report. The report, entitled “Rechtsextremismus und Ausstiegshilfen –
Möglichkeiten und Potentiale” [Right-Wing Extremism and Methods to Facilitate DisengageDisengage-
ment from the Scene – Possibilities and Potentials] (D’Amato & Gerber, 2002) contextualizes
the phenomenon of right-wing extremism and provides detailed models of experiences in Nor-
way, Sweden, and Germany and for the fi rst time reports on the range of existing intervention
instruments in Switzerland. Based on the comparison of different approaches and experiences
in the European context, the report concludes by recommending ways to proceed in Switzer-
land that take into consideration the country’s different language regions, the differences
among the cantons, and the urban/rural urban/rural differences.
Securing funding to combat right-wing extremism is particularly important because con- con-
spicuous problems with right-wing extremism often arise in rural areas where funding is
limited. Due to this limited fi nancial capacity, rural municipalities often put off initiating
intervention programs, if they recognize the need for action at all. Private providers, if working
without supporting funding likewise face tight fi nancial restrictions when attempting to initi-
ate complex and longer-term interventions.
In addition to the experts’ reports and panels, Switzerland has taken an important step by
setting up the Federal Foundation against Racism, which provides funding for projects against
racism and for human rights, making it possible for projects to receive support for prevention
and intervention. However, the funds have been drastically reduced, so that the mostly private
run organizations fi nd themselves forced to redistribute their resources. Unfortunately, this
involves the risk that some of the know-how gained so far will be lost.
Education and social work approaches to combating right-wing extremism and xenophobia
In contrast to the above-mentioned fi nding that right-wing extremism is a problem of the
society as a whole, the approaches to combating extremism and xenophobia focus on youth
(see Drilling & Eser Davolio, 2004). In Switzerland, while the school and the police are the fi rst
contact partners in the case of violent and right-wing extremist youth, professional youth and
social workers as well as various advisory centers also deal with the phenomenon of right-
wing extremist youth. In the case of violence among young people at school, teachers and
parents primarily turn to the Canton’s school psychological services (D’Amato & Gerber, 2002).
Most adolescent right-wing extremists are found in vocational training at the upper secondsecond- ary level. In Switzerland vocational training is organized such that the young people work in
private companies companies four days a week and attend school one or one and a half days per week.
Because student teacher contact is minimal, as the students are taught by several special
subject teachers, there are only very limited possibilities for educational intervention.
The Special Case of Switzerland
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