AMALTHEA advances understanding of how gender dynamics shape radicalisation and violent extremism. Violent extremism (VE) remains poorly understood through a gender lens, with research often limited to women’s empowerment or superficial inclusion. Gender-blind approaches fail to capture the roles of masculinity, socialisation, and intersectional factors in radicalisation. As a result, policies and interventions frequently fail to address the complex realities of individuals and communities affected by VE. AMALTHEA addresses these gaps by generating in-depth knowledge on gendered motivations, intra-group dynamics, and societal drivers of VE.

Through intersectional and feminist-informed analysis, it fosters early identification of radicalisation pathways and promotes inclusive approaches to safer societies. The project responds to the lack of gender-sensitive data and analysis in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE), advancing feminist and intersectional perspectives in both research and practice. By examining how unequal socialisation and identity factors influence radicalisation, AMALTHEA aims to build lasting security through knowledge and innovation. The project delivers impact in three key areas: (i) generating and disseminating gender-aware knowledge for practitioners; (ii) modelling and sharing data to strengthen collaboration and understanding; and (iii) creating tailor-made tools that empower law enforcement, civil society, and educators to design more effective, inclusive, and sustainable counter-extremism strategies.

Convergence’s role

CONVERGENCE is AMALTHEA’s Ethics & Ethical AI manager, leading the project’s ethics governance framework and overseeing ethical considerations related to data use, technological development, and stakeholder engagement, in line with EU and international standards. In parallel, CONVERGENCE leads the project’s Dissemination & Communication and exploitation pathway, coordinating outreach, communication activities, and continuous engagement to maximise societal uptake and impact. Additionally, it contributes to AMALTHEA’s research phase by embedding intersectional and gender-sensitive perspectives and theoretical frameworks.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 101225661. Content reflects only the authors’ view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.