Fight against right-wing extremism: Tübingen founds innovative research institute!

Fight against right-wing extremism: Tübingen founds innovative research institute!

On July 16, 2025, the ceremony marking the founding of the Institute for Right-Wing Extremism Research (IRex) took place at the University of Tübingen. This event represented a significant step in the fight against right-wing extremist ideologies and was attended by prominent guests such as State Parliament President Muhterem Aras and Science Minister Petra Olschowski. Representatives from science, politics and civil society were also present to underline the relevance of the new institute. The University of Tübingen reports, that IRex was founded in 2023 and aims to strengthen democracy and make society more resilient to right-wing extremist ideologies.

The creation of the institute was recommended in the final report of the second NSU investigative committee in 2019. In her speech, Science Minister Olschowski emphasized that the number of right-wing extremist crimes has increased in increasing danger potential, according to the latest reports from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The IRex will examine the different manifestations, dynamics and logics of right-wing extremism in an interdisciplinary manner, making it the first permanently institutionally anchored research institute of its kind in Germany.

Research priorities and professorships

The institute has three professorships that cover different aspects of right-wing extremism:

• Professorin Léonie de Jonge: Forschung zu politischen Akteuren, Organisationen und Ideologien.
• Professorin Annett Heft: Medienwissenschaftlicher Blick auf den Rechtsextremismus.
• Professorin Heike Radvan: Fokussierung auf erziehungswissenschaftliche Perspektiven.

An appointment process for a fourth professorship, which will focus on social science anti-Semitism research, is currently underway. The university's rector, Karla Pollmann, emphasized the university's responsibility in dealing with extremist ideologies.

Interdisciplinary collaboration is another central aspect of IRex's research work. The institute cooperates closely with organizations and institutions from science, politics and civil society. This network is intended to effectively use the scientific knowledge gained to combat right-wing extremism, which was also one of the core recommendations of the NSU investigative committee.

Current developments in right-wing extremism research

In addition to the activities of IRex, there is the Documentation Center for Right-Wing Extremism (DokRex) in Baden-Württemberg, which also recently presented its work. Minister Olschowski described the creation of both institutions as pioneering work in right-wing extremism research. The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Art reports that a new study by IRex examines the spatial ideas of extreme right-wing parties in Germany.

This study shows that spatial constructions play a central role in the party and election programs of the extreme right. Dr. Rolf Frankenberger explained that the extreme right helps to mobilize fears within the population. In addition, there are significant regional differences in the impact of right-wing extremist theses. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Zimmermann warned of enormous radicalization and noted that there is a growing intersection between right-wing extremists and the middle of society.

In the future, DokRex will devote more attention to the topic of anti-Semitism and plans to offer teaching materials and research aids for political education. This direction will significantly develop research in the field of right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism research.

In a larger context of manipulating third-party offers from various regions of Germany, the newly created commitments make a significant contribution. Networking and interdisciplinary collaboration between different research institutions are seen as central to countering the challenges of right-wing extremism and radicalization WI-REX reports.
Together it is important to strengthen social cohesion and promote the foundations for a functioning, strong democracy.