Jessica den Elzen is a PhD candidate at the department of Clinical Child and Family Studies at Utrecht University. Her research focuses on youth radicalization in the context of conspiracy beliefs and misinformation.

Project description:

Conspiracy theories are increasingly becoming part of mainstream discourse due to global crises combined with very realistic forms of misinformation. This presents societal challenges as a small part of conspiracy believers are willing to use violence in support of their beliefs. Youth are especially at risk, partially due to their large presence online. So to prevent this violent radicalization globally it is important to better understand which youth are vulnerable. The purpose of this research is therefore to provide insight into which youth are at risk for conspiracy-radicalization by identifying risk and protective factors and exploring to what extent these differ cross-culturally.

If you feel like Jessica’s project is the one for you, you can apply to join her team at jSchool 2023! To get more information on how to apply, the deadlines and more, visit this page.