New narratives to protect civil society
New European Democracy Hub report highlighting new approaches to defending global civil society features FICS analysis on narrative change.
New research into the relationship between discourse and counter-terrorism expansion
We are delighted to share 'The voice of the fourth pillar: How Security Council discourse drove counter-terrorism expansion at the UN', a new discussion paper published by Saferworld and supported by FICS’ Civic Futures initiative.
Countering extreme right narratives: learning from the Hive community
We are proud to share the Hive’s report from this experimental round of grants: Countering extreme right narratives across movements: learning from experimentation.
Civic Futures-funded report explores the growing securitization of the climate crisis
As the climate emergency escalates, so are efforts to securitize climate change.
Our latest commissioned research explores the relationship between identity-based attacks and closing civic space
In September 2023 Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) commissioned FICS to map existing research on discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of identity-based attacks and how these are increasingly deployed by authoritarian and populist governments to undermine civic space and democratic accountability.
Evolution or Revolution?
The Future of Recommendation 8
Months after the 9/11 attacks, Recommendation 8 (R8) was added to the Financial Action Task Force's mandate under the unevidenced assumption that not-for-profits (NPOs) were “particularly vulnerable” to terrorism financing.
Conditions to Flourish: Understanding the Ecosystem for Narrative Power
The Global Narrative Hive (the Hive), a new network which works to connect and grow the global ecosystem of those who are using narratives to advance their visions of a more just world.
New report calls for urgent action to defend UK’s democratic space
The Sheila McKechnie Foundation has published a new report which identifies numerous threats to the vital elements of UK democracy and civic space.
The Security Playbook 101
Building on Rethinking Civic Space, the major review published by FICS in 2020, this month we released The Security Playbook 101 a new paper that demonstrates the expansion and abuse of security powers, tools, and discourse by States in ways that criminalise and restrict activists. The playbook also offers solutions for how philanthropy can support civil society to disrupt, reform and transform this trend.
Counter-terrorism policies are cutting off civil society’s access to resources
Expert Submission to UN Special Rapporteur, based on new research with funders and Civil Society Organisations, finds counter-terrorism justified funding controls are a disaster for social justice movements/groups.