Building Digital Resilience Through Testimonial Theatre
Edvin Sandström, Senior Researcher
at the Swedish Center for Preventing Violent Extremism (CVE)
Outline
• Increased concerns about lone actors in Sweden.
• Understanding lone actors through testimonial theatre.
• Tailored for professionals and students in educational settings.
• Key insights we have gathered so far.
Increased concerns about lone actors in Sweden
• We have witnessed several lone actor attacks in recent years.
• Recently, we experienced the deadliest mass shooting so far.
• Professionals are asking for support to deal with online radicalization.
• More support is needed on how to report a concern that enters the social care system.
• There is growing concern about school attacks.
Understanding lone actors through testimonial theatre
• A testimonial theatre, “Predator”, based on a lone actor's radicalisation process that leads to a school shooting.
• The title reflects a young man's journey from being hunted to becoming a hunter based on interviews and research.
• Collaboration between CVE, Theatre Fryshuset, and Fri Scen.
• The project began in 2023 and premiered on January 30, 2025.
• It will reappear in May at the Swedish National Theatre.
And will tour Sweden this fall, playing for over 200
Tailored for professionals and students in educational settings (15 +)
• Promoting the performance mainly to schools.
• Planning it with the local PCVE stakeholders.
• Pre-talk guided by educational material we send out beforehand.
• Performance.
• Post-talk.
Key insights we have gathered so far
• Increased awareness of online radicalisation.
• Initiates discussions about online identity and behaviour.
• Sparks curiosity among teachers, motivating them to “do more.”
• Acknowledges signs and interplay.
• Prompts conversations about responsibility.
• Evaluation of effects and change by external actors (ongoing)