This panel will present a recently published anthology with the following reference: Overland, G, Andersen, A., Førde, K. E., Grødum, K. and J. Salomonsen (eds) (2018). Violent Extremism in the 21st Century. International Perspectives. Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Newcastle.
The book offers insights into processes of violent radicalisation both locally and globally, questioning how and why it arises and what can be done about it. Combined, the 20 chapters contribute to a broad discussion of phenomena studied and the challenge of concepts used to describe the underlying problems. What are the differences, and where are the lines between legitimate religious or political activism and radicalisation that can turn into violent extremism? How and why are people recruited into movements perceived to be radical? What can governments, institutions and citizens do different and do better? Our aim is to contribute new insights to researchers engaged in transformational projects, policy makers and workers in health, social services, justice, security, education and child welfare. Such actors are in a position both to see and to act: both to understand and to prevent extremism and to rehabilitate those who have been radicalised to return to society and to make a life worth living.
After a brief introduction to the book as a whole, four of the authors will present their chapters. Two address the theme from perspectives of primary and secondary psychosocial intervention and two present case studies based on personal and professional experience on the ground.
Paper presenters:
- Preben Bertelsen: Mentoring in Anti-radicalisation LGT: A Systematic Assessment, Intervention and Supervision Tool in Mentoring
- Valerie DeMarinis: Countering Violent Extremism: Public Mental Health Promotion in a Public Health Paradigm
- Anders Lundesgaard and Kai Krogh: From Childhood Trauma to Violent Extremism: Implications for Prevention
- David Hansen: Radicalization in Norwegian Prisons: The story of “Zubair”
Abstracts
Mentoring in Anti-radicalisation LGT: A Systematic Assessment, Intervention and Supervision Tool in Mentoring
Preben Bertelsen, Aarhus University
There is an increasing awareness of and use of mentoring in the anti-radicalisation and de-radicalisation process. In Denmark, it is central to the so-called Aarhus Model as well as to the national Danish intervention strategy. It is well known that successful mentoring is based on the composition of a team of carefully selected mentors from which it is possible to pair a mentee with a mentor in the best possible match. This chapter offers a model for mentoring in the radicalisation process and extremism with several functions. It can both serve as a guiding model for and concrete tool in the mentoring process, as an assessment tool (supervision, initiating the process) and as a research model (based on operationalised variables) directed at documenting the effect of mentoring.
Countering Violent Extremism: Public Mental Health Promotion in a Public Health Paradigm
Valerie DeMarinis, Uppsala University
This paper makes the case for a paradigm shift in the understanding of violent extremism (VE) and how strategies to address it are being enacted at individual, group and societal levels. The paradigm shift involves a re-examination of how best to implement countering violent extremism (CVE) models, using “non-coercive means to dissuade individuals or groups from mobilizing towards violence and to mitigate recruitment, support, facilitation or engagement in ideologically motivated terrorism by non-state actors in furtherance of political objectives” (Khan, 2015).
From Childhood Trauma to Violent Extremism. Implications for Prevention
Anders Lundesgaard and Kai Krogh, RVTS Nord
This paper focuses on traumatic experiences at an earlier stage of psychosocial development and how those experiences act as precursors on a path towards extremism. We investigate how adverse childhood experiences and trauma act as predisposing factors for a psychological vulnerability to adherence to extreme ideologies and willingness to the use of violence for ideological purposes, with background in a case.
Adverse childhood experiences and trauma are known to have a negative and cumulative impact on child development, which might result in a number of psychiatric conditions, addiction, proneness to violence and criminal behavior at a later stage in life. We will review some of the literature which, based on case studies and interviews, describes individual trajectories towards radicalization where individual trauma plays a crucial role. Examples and illustration are mainly from militant Islamism, well aware that the same developmental pathway might apply to right wing extremism and other forms of extremism as well.
Radicalization in Norwegian Prisons: The story of “Zubair”
David Hansen, University College of Norwegian Correctional Service (KRUS)
It is quite often argued that serving time in prison may radicalize inmates, and it is a regular assumption that prisons may serve as ‘schools and/or universities for terrorism’. This paper discusses one (former) inmate’s (hereafter Zubair) process of radicalization into a form of radical Islam whilst incarcerated in (multiple) Norwegian prisons. The presentation traces Zubair’s experiences with radical Islam by examining his trajectory through a ‘phased model for explaining prison radicalization processes’. Using the examples of Zubair, this paper discusses factors concerning inmates as a particularly vulnerable group susceptible for radicalization (e.g. ‘pre-radicalization personal factors’, see below) and prisons as ‘places of vulnerability’ in terms of radicalization. The paper also discusses how proper inmate management (e.g. dynamic security) and, most importantly, religion can serve as de-radicalization tools in prisons. As such, the paper sheds light on the importance of having ‘informed Islam’, under the guidance of proper imams in the prison setting. Indeed, the paper argues that Islam may be very well fitted in a de-radicalization context – as a knowledge-driven, theological angle may assist Muslim inmates in finding answers to mundane and existential problems alike.