In this creative assignment, you will build a counter-narrative strategy targeting a domestic extremist threat. Your strategy must be legal, ethical, and feasible. This is a scenario-based assignment. Use the template provided.
Scenario: You are a community leader who received a $150,000 DHS grant to counter extremism in your community. Your written assignment represents the plan you are presenting to your town council for approval. Your community has seen an increase in extremist activity from GROUP/MOVEMENT/IDEOLOGY X (substitute an extremist group/movement/ideology that interests you, but it cannot be the same topic from the previous assignment). Last year, THREAT X received a local permit to demonstrate downtown in your retail area. Violence erupted, but you don’t believe it was planned. Protestors attacked several police officers who sustained mild injuries and ransacked several stores. THREAT X has existed in your community for over ten years. Usually, about 25 people attend the demonstrations and rallies on behalf of THREAT X. However, during the past two years, you’ve noticed an increase in attendance that exceeds 50. You’ve also seen a dramatic rise in THREAT X’s online rhetoric, specifically targeting the youth in your community. Your plan is to devise a multimedia campaign that challenges the narrative of THREAT X with the goal of reducing the attractiveness of THREAT X to potential supporters.
Required elements of the assignment:
I. Campaign Title
II. Background Info on Threat X (1 page)
III. Examples and Analysis of Threat X’s Rhetoric (3-4 pages)
You may consult scholarly and credible sources to identify the ideology and rhetoric associated with the threat. You should also consider using primary sources such as YouTube videos that contain interviews of leaders or members associated with the threat. The latter type of source would be classified as primary.
IV. Substance of your Multimedia Plan (3-4 pages)
Components of your plan may include a social media campaign, virtual reality experiences, podcasts, community events, interactive websites, or collaboration with influencers. Be as specific as possible. What components might an interactive website contain, which influencers might be effective and how would you collaborate with them, who would serve as guests on your podcasts, and what would be discussed?
V. Evaluation (1/2-1 page)
It is customary to provide an empirical method for evaluating the effectiveness of your program. How would you determine whether your multimedia campaign successfully created a counter narrative and reduced the influence of Threat X in your community?
Technical Requirements
- Your paper must be at a minimum of 8 pages (the Title and Reference pages do not count towards the minimum limit).
- Scholarly and credible references should be used. A good rule of thumb is to use at least two scholarly sources per page of content. Primary sources representing the threat would be appropriate for this assignment.
- Type in Times New Roman, 12 point, and double space.
- Students will follow the current APA Style as the sole citation and reference style used in written work submitted as part of coursework.
- Points will be deducted for the use of Wikipedia or encyclopedic type sources. It is highly advised to utilize books, peer-reviewed journals, articles, archived documents, etc.
- All submissions will be graded using the assignment rubric.
