Noor Popular Education School on Countering the Far Right - KNOW YOUR ENEMY. Session 4 Political Economy: Investigating the undercurrents of illicit funding, political party financing, and the rise of crowdfunding as key players in today’s political landscape

Financial Networks & Strategies Illicit financial flows often operate in legal gray areas to influence politics. Funds are deliberately structured to support anti-gender and extreme-right agendas. Mechanisms include cryptocurrencies, digital crowdfunding, religious institutions, and redirected public development funds. Donor-advised funds and private foundations can be used to obscure the source or purpose of funding, including for ideological agendas.

(1/2): Noor’s #KnowYourEnemy Popular Education School held its 4th session on Sept 26! 🌍 We unpacked the political economy of illicit funding - hidden flows, party financing & crowdfunding powering anti-gender + far-right movements & blocking gender justice. #NoorSchool #FeministEducation

Noor Popular Education School - Know Your Enemy. Session 3: Infiltration and Conferencing: Investigating the geopolitical ambitions that drive covert operations and strategic gatherings

Global Networks & Core Strategies Anti-gender movements are not isolated. They are: Transnational networks with significant funding and political influence Coordinated through “alliances” of religious and political actors United by the concept of “gender ideology,” used to undermine human rights Active in multilateral spaces like the UN, shaping global policy debates

Narratives & Influence These movements advance by: Glorifying a “traditional past” while framing equality as a threat Spreading narratives of victimhood, fear, and conspiracy Using global platforms to expand reach and build legitimacy Narratives matter: they shape public opinion, policy, and lived realities.

Contested Spaces & Resistance Multilateral institutions (like the UN) are key battlegrounds: Anti-gender actors stigmatize these spaces while also working inside them They block progress by reframing debates and stalling negotiations. Activists face the challenge of limited resources vs. well-funded opposition, requiring both strategic responses and solidarity.

On Sept 12, Noor’s #KnowYourEnemy School dove into #antigender movements as #transnationalnetworks framing “gender ideology” as threat, forging unholy alliances & waging battles at the UN.
We reflected on their narratives, risks for activists & need for solidarity + creative resistance.

#NoorSchool

Noor Popular Education School on Countering the Far Right: KNOW YOUR ENEMY. session 2: Propaganda and Narrative: Analyzing how the concept of “the other” is constructed to shape perceptions and influence public opinion

The Global Far Right & Its Core Pillars: Far-right movements operate as a global network, adapting to local contexts but united by core ideas: they promote ethno-religious supremacy, racial supremacy, and misogyny; glorify a mythical golden past; stoke fears of demographic replacement; frame themselves as victims; create enemies; and admire authoritarian leaders while resorting to violence.

Digital Platforms & Propaganda: Social media acts as a powerful amplifier for far-right narratives, with algorithms rewarding outrage and boosting extremist content. Through diaspora networks, online subcultures like the incels and manosphere, and exploitative platform dynamics, their influence spreads across borders. Far-right groups deliberately distort truth, filling information vacuums with propaganda that manipulates perceptions, especially during conflicts, political crises, and social flashpoints. Recognizing this digital ecosystem and the strategic use of misinformation is essential for building effective responses.

Narratives & Strategic Reframing: Narratives shape how people perceive reality, make decisions, and assign value. Far-right narratives rely on fear, nostalgia, victimhood, and conspiracy, reinforcing harmful frames. Effective responses require proactive narrative shaping - not just reacting, but reframing stories for diverse audiences to shift dominant narratives and influence perceptions.

Noor’s #KnowYourEnemy School held its session 2 on Aug 29!

Participants explored the global #FarRight, its online influence & strategies for narrative change. Led by Raqib Hameed Naik (CSOH) & Kwem (Global Narrative Hive). More learnings to come!

#NoorSchool #CounterTheFarRight #PopularEducation

Noor Popular Education School on Countering the Far Right - Know Your Enemy. Session 1: The Story of Origins: Uncovering the context and recognising early warning signs that set the stage for significant events.

Key Takeaways: The far right is a global movement with shared strategies, even when appearing local. FR mobilizes cultural anxiety through fear-based narratives on immigration, gender, and identity. Contemporary far-right movements gain support through democratic institutions. FR messaging that seems harmless but underpins harmful policies. Understanding the far right means analyzing it as an ideology, mass movement, and political project. Feminist & queer movements lead the fight in analyzing and resisting far-right agendas.

(1/3): Noor’s Know Your Enemy School launched Aug 15! 🎓

20+ participants explored the rise of far-right movements & strategies to resist—led by Tatiana Vargas-Maia & Naureen Shameem.

We’ll share highlights along the way—stay tuned!
#KnowYourEnemy #NoorSchool

It’s here! First session of Noor’s “Know Your Enemy” school launches today. Watch this space as we share insights, learnings & reflections from each session📚✊

#KnowYourEnemy #NoorSchool