Going Mainstream: Why extreme ideas are spreading, and what we can do about it

The internationally bestselling author of Going Dark: the secret social lives of extremists (A Telegraph Book of the Year) returns to explore why radical ideas are increasingly infiltrating politics, popular culture and our everyday lives.

Incels. Anti Vaxxers. Conspiracy theorists. Neo-Nazis. Once, these groups all belonged on the fringes of the political spectrum. Today, accelerated by a pandemic, global conflict and rapid technological change, their ideas are becoming more widespread: QAnon proponents run for U.S. Congress, neo-fascists win elections in Europe, and celebrity influencers spread dangerous myths to millions. Going Mainstream asks the question: What is happening here?

Going undercover online and in person, UK counter-extremism expert Julia Ebner reveals how, united by a shared sense of grievance and scepticism about institutions, radicalised individuals are influencing the mainstream as never before. Hidden from public scrutiny, they leverage social media to create alternative information ecosystems and build sophisticated networks funded by dark money.

Ebner's candid conversations with extremists offer a nuanced and gripping insight into why people have turned to the fringes. She explores why outlandish ideas have taken hold and disinformation is spreading faster than ever. And she speaks to the activists and educators who are fighting to turn the tide.

Going Mainstream is a dispatch from the darkest front of the culture wars, and a vital wake-up call.

Review

'With unparalleled insight and urgency, Ebner reveals the dangerous spread of extremist beliefs. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the terrifying new reality we face' -- Eliot Higgins, author of We Are Bellingcat

'A sober and sobering read that helps disentangle an important though often misunderstood phenomenon' -- Brendan Daly ― Sunday Business Post

'A timely and frighteningly revealing book. It should be on the shelves of every Western spy agency working to defeat extremist ideologies' -- Richard Kerbaj, author of The Secret History of the Five Eyes

'A haunting and essential account of how so many people around the world have embraced extreme ideas' -- Cynthia Miller-Idriss ― author of Hate in the Homeland

'Piercingly revelatory ... a tour de force' -- Carl Miller, author of The Death of the Gods

'Riveting and often deeply disturbing ... A punch to the stomach' ― The Sunday Times on Going Dark

'Fascinating and important' ― Spectator on Going Dark

'Ebner has done some gutsy, thought-provoking research' ― Sunday Telegraph on Going Dark, a Telegraph Book of the Year

'Engaging and visceral ... Reads like a thriller' ― Financial Times on Going Dark

About the Author

Born in Vienna in 1991, Julia Ebner is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue in London, where she leads projects on online extremism, disinformation and hate speech. She is the author of two award-winning international bestsellers: Going Dark and The Rage. She has given evidence to numerous governments and parliamentary working groups, and has acted as a consultant for the UN, NATO, and the World Bank. Her journalism has appeared in The Guardian, Newsweek, Politico and Süddeutsche Zeitung, among other publications, and she regularly contributes to broadcast news stories. Ebner holds a DPhil in Anthropology from the University of Oxford and is a Research Fellow at Oxford's Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion.