Paper presenters:
- Keiran Hardy: “Comparing global approaches to countering violent extremism: An evaluative framework and best practice principles
- Stian Lid: Countering Violent Extremism in a Welfare State–strengthens and weakness of the Norwegian approach
- Flensner, Larsson and Säljö: “Middle-Eastern conflicts in Swedish classrooms”
- Tore Bjørgo and Tina W. Christensen: Approaches to handle returning foreign fighters and other Syria travelers
Abstracts
Comparing Global Approaches to Countering Violent Extremism
Keiran Hardy, Griffith Criminology Institute, Queensland, Australia
Countering violent extremism (CVE) programs have become a core component of national strategies for countering terrorism. They are diverse policy programs in which police work with communities, health services and other agencies to counter the threats of extremism and radicalisation. There are broad similarities in different national approaches to CVE: the programs typically involve elements of community policing, efforts to deradicalise convicted prisoners, and interventions for youth at risk of radicalisation.
However, there are also a number of important, though subtle, differences across national borders. One country might aim primarily to counter the ideological threat, while another might focus on providing support to young people. Some programs are heavily centralised under a national government, while others give greater autonomy to communities and municipalities. Mapping these differences is important for understanding cultural differences in how governments approach counterterrorism, and for moving towards a ‘best practice’ framework for CVE.
This paper draws on case studies of CVE programs in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia. It offers an evaluative framework for comparing these programs across national borders and assessing how well they are designed. It then offers a series of best practice principles to guide the design and development of CVE programs. While empirical evaluations of CVE programs remain limited, there is sufficient evidence to explain why some national CVE programs appear more effective than others. By condensing this evidence into best practice principles, the paper contributes to ongoing critical analysis of policy approaches aimed at tackling violent extremism.
Countering Violent Extremism in a Welfare State – strengthens and weakness of the Norwegian approach
Stian Lid, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University
A state’s countering violent extremism (CVE) initiatives are deeply shaped by political, cultural, and legal elements unique to that country. We argue that in the Nordic region, CVE approaches are heavily influenced by ideologies connected to the welfare state. The principals and values of the welfare state shape both the repressive and controlling strategies, as well as constructive strategies. Moreover, inclusion and care are dominating values also in repressive strategies. The state and government institutions are the main actors, and the CVE initiatives can take advantage of the extensive government sector with considerable resources and relevant interventions. However, the state dominated approach also seems to have some major disadvantages. The public agencies lack trust and legitimacy among target groups. This restrict the public agencies’ opportunities to utilize the comprehensive range of tools they possess. More use of civil agencies might improve the Norwegian approach, but among public agencies, there are reluctance to involve civil agencies in targeted interventions.
Middle-Eastern conflicts in Swedish classrooms
Karin Kittelmann Flensner, Göran Larsson and Roger Säljö, Högskolan Väst
As a consequence of the violent conflicts in the Middle East, the world is witnessing one of the largest refugee disasters. In the wake of these developments, Muslim groups who advocate violent interpretations of Islam are recruiting supporters from around the world. Simultaneously xenophobic groups are mobilizing across Europe. This situation has implications for education and instructional practices in many countries, including Sweden.
The aim of this paper is to present some preliminary results from the ongoing project Global conflicts with local consequences – learning and arguing about Middle Eastern conflicts in Swedish classrooms with a special focus on extremism of various kinds and how such matters are addressed in the classroom in a society attempting to promote democratic ideals and world-views.
The specific focus of the research project is how these contemporary conflicts are presented, played out and discussed by teachers and students in Swedish classroom practices in Religious Education and in Social Science. Participant observations of teaching at six upper secondary schools have been carried out. In addition, focus-group interviews with students and individual interviews with teachers have been conducted.
The preliminary analysis indicates significant differences in how these conflicts are addressed in Social Science as compared to Religious Education. It is also apparent that discussions and teaching about these conflicts were to a large extent absent in the classrooms. Many teachers report feeling uncertain about how to deal with these conflicts in teaching. The local context, and the various backgrounds and personal experiences of students, characterized the discussions.
Approaches to handle returning foreign fighters and other Syria travelers
Tore Bjørgo, University of Oslo, and Tina Wilchen Christensen, Aarhus University
How to handle returning foreign fighters and other Syria travelers: Measures to More than 5000 European Muslims travelled to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS and other Jihadi groups during the years 2011-2016, including around 100 from Norway. Large numbers have also returned to their homelands, around 40 to Norway. These returning foreign fighters and other "Syria travelers" represent several major challenges and dilemmas concerning how they should be handled. Most of the returnees will be prosecuted and convicted for their illegal involvement with terrorist organisations or military conflicts abroad but they will eventually be released back into society. Some of them will still hold extremist views and may represent a severe security risk, others are deeply disillusioned about what they have been involved in and may suffer from traumas and shame, and have problems with getting reintegrated into mainstream society. Some may bring home children born or raised in the caliphate, possibly indoctrinated with hatred. This study will discuss different models, approaches, methods and agencies incvolved in dealing with the multitude of challenges raised by the returnees.