Going Mainstream

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 like Kanye West 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.

About the Author

Born in Vienna in 1991, Julia Ebner is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue in London, where she leads projects on online extremism, disinformation and hate speech. She has given evidence to numerous governments and parliamentary working groups, and she has acted as a consultant for the UN, NATO, and the World Bank. Her journalism has appeared in The Guardian, Newsweek, Politico and Suddeutsche Zeitung, among other publications, and she has contributed to numerous broadcast news items and documentaries. Her last book, Going Dark, an international bestseller, is currently being adapted for TV.