Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Geography-Anthropology
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Sarah Lockridge
Abstract
Violence has long been embedded in American culture and history, often linked to ideological struggles, racial oppression, and religious conflicts (Mayer et al.,2024). In recent years, violent extremism—characterized by the use or threat of violence to advance ideological, political, or social agendas—has surged, particularly in attacks on government institutions, infrastructure, and marginalized communities (Mayer et al.,2024). At the same time, implicit biases—unconscious prejudices—continue to reinforce societal inequalities across race, gender, and class, often manifesting as micro-inequities that have a cumulative impact (Brennan,2014). According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program (2020), 138 law enforcement agencies reported 8,263 hate crime incidents involving 11,129 offenses, underscoring the prevalence of racial and identity-based violence in American society.These issues are driven by a combination of ideological motivations, social isolation, and racial biases, all of which perpetuate systemic disparities. Tackling these challenges demands research-driven interventions that bridge neuroscience, psychology, and community engagement.
My research project explores one important area in this discussion: how Mindbridge, a Portland, Maine-based nonprofit organization focusing on addressing violent extremism and implicit bias, develops and implements interventions to combat systemic inequities in American society. I investigate how the organization applies neuroscience, psychology, and community engagement to address the root causes of violence and inequality. Specifically, I examine Mindbridge’s collaborations with government agencies and community-based organizations to co-develop holistic, data-driven programs to combat these problematic issues. Through an in-depth interview with one key informant (the learning specialist of the organization), I provide insights into the development and implementation of programmatic initiatives such as the Countering Extremism Directive and the Healing Racial Trauma Initiative, both of which aim to dismantle extremist ideologies and reduce racial trauma.
Included in
Addressing Violent Extremism and Implicit Bias: Mindbridge’s Neuroscientific and Psychological Approach
Violence has long been embedded in American culture and history, often linked to ideological struggles, racial oppression, and religious conflicts (Mayer et al.,2024). In recent years, violent extremism—characterized by the use or threat of violence to advance ideological, political, or social agendas—has surged, particularly in attacks on government institutions, infrastructure, and marginalized communities (Mayer et al.,2024). At the same time, implicit biases—unconscious prejudices—continue to reinforce societal inequalities across race, gender, and class, often manifesting as micro-inequities that have a cumulative impact (Brennan,2014). According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program (2020), 138 law enforcement agencies reported 8,263 hate crime incidents involving 11,129 offenses, underscoring the prevalence of racial and identity-based violence in American society.These issues are driven by a combination of ideological motivations, social isolation, and racial biases, all of which perpetuate systemic disparities. Tackling these challenges demands research-driven interventions that bridge neuroscience, psychology, and community engagement.
My research project explores one important area in this discussion: how Mindbridge, a Portland, Maine-based nonprofit organization focusing on addressing violent extremism and implicit bias, develops and implements interventions to combat systemic inequities in American society. I investigate how the organization applies neuroscience, psychology, and community engagement to address the root causes of violence and inequality. Specifically, I examine Mindbridge’s collaborations with government agencies and community-based organizations to co-develop holistic, data-driven programs to combat these problematic issues. Through an in-depth interview with one key informant (the learning specialist of the organization), I provide insights into the development and implementation of programmatic initiatives such as the Countering Extremism Directive and the Healing Racial Trauma Initiative, both of which aim to dismantle extremist ideologies and reduce racial trauma.
