Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab

The Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) is an applied research lab at American University’s School of Public Affairs that prevents radicalization and violent extremism by strengthening community resilience. We use a public health approach to design, test, and scale up evidence-based tools and strategies that effectively reduce the threat of radicalization to harmful online and offline content, including conspiracy theories, mis/disinformation, propaganda, and supremacist ideologies.