(DE)Polarization

From an early age, Maarten van Alstijn was fascinated by the contrasts of history: people build extraordinary things, create art and architecture, yet they are also capable of destructive conflict. This lifelong curiosity took him from Antwerp to university and eventually to his role as a researcher at the Flemish Peace Institute. His central question remains: how do conflicts emerge, why do people seek connection, and how can we foster a culture of peace and dialogue, especially among young people?

Innovation: a Source of Progress and Disruption

Revolution and modernisation have two sides, Maarten explains: “Freedom, equality, medical progress — these are undeniable values, but the periods in which they emerged were often turbulent and marked by violence.” The religious wars, the French Revolution and the Industrial Age brought hope, but also social divisions, uncertainty and conflict.

Today, we are once again living through a period of major transformation. “Climate change, digitalisation, the rise of AI… People are once again searching for stability and certainty. Fear and uncertainty often lead to mistrust and confrontation.” Western Europe, which has experienced relative peace since the Second World War, now faces an important challenge: can we prevent violence and social fragmentation and move towards positive peace?

The Difference Between Disagreement and Harmful Polarisation

Democracy requires disagreement — it is healthy and unavoidable. According to Maarten, however, it becomes dangerous when differences turn into hostility and mistrust. When you start seeing the other person as a threat or an enemy, your perspective narrows and nuance disappears: “As a society, we should strive for the ideal of living together despite our differences — walking through the same door, day after day.”

Toxic polarisation emerges when mistrust and hostility begin to dominate. This requires vigilance, both in politics and in everyday interactions.

Practical Tools for Young People, Education and Youth Workers

• Listen patiently: Behind every strong statement there is often an emotion or a personal story. Start by being curious rather than immediately judging.
• Practise dialogue: Create safe spaces where young people and teachers can openly discuss controversial issues such as identity, racism and war. Only then can genuine connection emerge.
• Use the wisdom of the group: Take time as a group to share experiences and insights, possibly with an external facilitator, but also simply within your own team or community.
• Training and workshops: Professional development remains important, but exchanging practical experiences within a team is at least as valuable.
• Recognise social media as a double-edged sword: Social media can connect and isolate at the same time. Young people find happiness and connection online, but they also experience mental pressure, comparison and sometimes unsafe situations. Critical media literacy is essential.

Remembrance, Peace and Reconciliation

Peace is more than the absence of war. According to Maarten, peace also means actively living together, dealing with conflict without violence, protecting democracy and contributing to peaceful coexistence every day: “Positive peace requires us to work together structurally, even when we disagree, and to nurture relationships within families, classrooms and groups of friends.”

Remembrance can provide important opportunities for learning, but it can also be dangerous. Wars and trauma can have an impact across generations. Young people who have never visited their family’s “country of origin” may still carry invisible traces of these histories. Attention, conversation and psychological support are crucial, as is openness about these burdens in youth work and education.

Art, Culture and Imagination: Spaces for Dialogue

Art — whether music, literature or visual expression — can create new spaces for dialogue without requiring people to speak directly about themselves. Reading together and creating together can open doors to empathy, nuance and mutual understanding.

Young People as Active Builders of Peace

What can young people themselves do? Observe, listen and ask questions — rather than judging impulsively, remain critical and curious. In your own group, classroom, neighbourhood or on social media, you can create small circles of peace every day. Maarten sees this as a daily practice: “You build connection not by avoiding conflict, but by looking for what brings us together.”

Focus on the Positive, Without Denying What Is Difficult

Maarten also warns against placing too much emphasis on “simply staying positive”: “We must be able to name and acknowledge problems. Resilience and optimism are valuable, but they should not become a way of covering up underlying pain or injustice. Work on structures, solutions and mindset.”

Concrete Advice for Policymakers and Professionals

• Remain critical and inquisitive, and work from multiple perspectives.
• Make workshops and training a structural part of the agenda for teachers and youth workers.
• Stay alert to the mental pressure caused by social media and create opportunities for offline encounters.
• Involve young people in genuine dialogue, not merely as a “problem group”, but as partners and builders of the future.
• Create space for art and imagination, and encourage collaborative cultural projects.

“The foundation of peace and connection is the ability to work together despite our differences, and every new generation deserves the opportunity to be critical, curious and empathetic.”

Would you like to explore the topic further and find practical inspiration? Be sure to consult the publication by the Flemish Peace Institute on polarisation, conflict and multiple perspectives:
Vlaams Vredesinstituut – Polarisering, conflict en meerstemmigheid, praktijkgidsen voor onderwijsprofessional