Brian Hughes is a Research Assistant Professor in the program of Justice, Law, and Criminology at American University in Washington, DC. He is the founding co-director of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), where he develops studies and interventions to reduce the impact of disinformation and the risk of radicalization to extremism. His academic work explores the impact of communication technology on political and religious extremism, terrorism, and fringe culture. This work seeks to identify the social and emotional connections between extremist ideologies, cultures, times, and places. His writing has appeared in the CTC Sentinel at West Point, the International Journal of Communication, Lawfare, and New Media & Society.
The inaugural Eradicate Hate Summit was a truly impressive gathering of leaders dedicated to finding lasting and effective solutions to violent extremism. I was particularly moved by the prominence given to survivors and family members of victims of hate and violence throughout the event. Their stories and those of so many others must be at the center of what we do and why we do it.
