Die vergessene Zielgruppe: Warum wir über radikalisierte Ältere sprechen müssen

When it comes to radicalization, public attention—as well as most prevention programs—tends to focus primarily on adolescents and young adults. However, in our counseling practice, we have observed a different and largely overlooked phenomenon over the past few years: More and more young people are reaching out to us because they are concerned about their conspiracy-believing parents. In this article, we aim to shed light on this blind spot. We begin by reviewing the current state of research: What do we know about radicalization beyond midlife? In the second part, we present practical case examples that illustrate the individual factors contributing to the radicalization of older adults. Finally, we offer concrete strategies for maintaining dialogue with individuals who have become immersed in digital or analog filter bubbles.