Social Work Within Hostile Environments | Resistance Below the Radar: Social Work Responses to Far-Right Influence

to 1:00pm
About this event

In response to feedback and growing concern from BASW members, BASW England is hosting a series of three interactive webinars that will explore the increasing levels of hostility and polarisation within our communities, across England and internationally. Developed in collaboration with BASW members, these sessions will provide a supportive and reflective space where participants can share experiences, learn from the latest research, and engage in meaningful discussion. Together, we will explore practical resources, strategies, and approaches for challenging oppression, addressing hostility, and strengthening inclusive and respectful practice.

In this first webinar we welcome guest speaker Eva Griogori. Drawing on findings from the international SoFRiED project, Eva’s presentation examines how social workers respond to far-right influence in their everyday practice. Eva’s research has identified that open opposition appears to be relatively rare. Responses more often take less visible forms, ranging from avoidance and pragmatic adaptation to discreet efforts to protect service users and uphold professional principles. Particular attention is paid to tacit resistance as an ambivalent micro-strategy: it may preserve professional agency under pressure, but can also leave political conflicts unnamed, individualise responsibility and remain difficult to distinguish from accommodation or withdrawal.

The session will include time for participants' to reflect and share their own experiences and to discuss alternative professional responses across different practice contexts.

SoFRiED project website: https://www.hs-nb.de/en/sofried-social-work-an-the-far-right-in-europea…

Eva Grigori is a lecturer and researcher in social work at the University of applied sciences St. Pölten/Austria. She teaches courses on social work practice methods, professional development and applied social work research. Her current research project is “Social Work and the Far Right in European Democracies” (SOFRIED), and she is currently working on her PhD, which examines professional perceptions of right-wing extremism within the public child and youth welfare services. Publications Grigori, E. (2026). Was tun, wenn’s rechts wird? Von der Leerstelle zwischen Methoden und Auftrag im Umgang mit rechten Adressat:innen [What to do when things take a right-wing turn? On the gap between methods and mandate when dealing with right-wing audiences]. Sozialmagazin, 5–6, 57–66. Grigori, E. (2023). Soziale Arbeit mit neokonservativer Agenda? Umgang mit Rechtsextremismus in der Kinder- und Jugendhilfe in Niederösterreich [Social work with a neo-conservative agenda? Dealing with right-wing extremism in child and youth services in Lower Austria]. Widersprüche, 43.(167), 27–38.

This session will be chaired by Dr Caroline J. Bald. Caroline is a Lecturer in Social Work at The Open University (UK), BASW UK Director and SIG Development Lead for the European Social Work Research Association. Her research and teaching focus on social work, criminal justice and social inclusion. She is co-editor of the Routledge International Handbook of Criminal Justice Social Work (2026) and Routledge International Handbook of Human Rights Social Work (2027).