Journal for Deradicalization
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Prevention of radicalization among youths with mental disorders in a schooling context
Full text linkThis article presents a case study from a Danish elementary school where school professionals attempted to prevent radicalization among male students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Based on qualitative interviews with school management, teachers, social educators, and a youth consultant, the study explores how radicalization concerns—ranging from Nazi symbolism and misogynistic behavior to verbal threats and extremist online activity—were addressed through relationship-building and pedagogical strategies. The article applies the theoretical perspective of community-creating didactics, which conceptualizes how feelings of community can be created in classrooms through specific didactical approaches. The analysis shows that school professionals engage in a ‘balancing act’ between acknowledging students’ intense interest in extremist worldviews and promoting pro-democratic values. However, students often perceive this engagement as monitoring, which complicates relationship-building. To counter the formation of peer communities centered on extremist statements, school professionals organize activities such as cooking, field trips, and outdoor expeditions to foster new social bonds. These strategies aim to offer alternative sources of recognition and belonging. Yet, the students’ ASD-related traits—such as impulsivity and narrow interests—pose challenges, and in some cases, exclusion and restructuring of class composition were necessary to restore social dynamics. The article concludes that community-creating didactics can be understood as a radicalization preventive approach, especially for students with mental disorders, but that its implementation entails dilemmas and requires adaptation to the specific needs and behaviors of the students
Leaving Terrorism Behind: The Healthy Identity Intervention Model of Change
Full text linkProviding rehabilitation for individuals who commit terrorist offences presents challenges. These challenges include the varied and complex pathways into terrorism, which require flexible and comprehensive interventions that address the multitude of factors driving change. Underpinning these interventions, a Model of Change (MoC) can provide a theoretical and practical framework to guide the processes, mechanisms, and outcomes of the intended change. Without a clear MoC, interventions risk being fragmented and ineffective, failing to address the specific needs of those who commit terrorist offences. This article explores the challenges of rehabilitation for terrorist offending through the lens of the Healthy Identity Intervention (HII) MoC, highlighting its central role in guiding effective rehabilitation efforts within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). Grounded in theoretical principles, HII aims to support participants to desist and disengage from terrorism. The article considers the distinctive features of terrorist rehabilitation and the contribution of HII. It critiques the strengths and limitations of HII, emphasising the need for empirical validation and adaptation to diverse offending profiles. It concludes by outlining future directions for refining the HII MoC and its broader implications for evaluating and advancing appropriate practices, ultimately contributing to the understanding of effective rehabilitation and the promotion of a safer, more inclusive society
An Evidence-Informed Theory of Change for Facilitating Disengagement from Violent Extremism: Insights from the Community Integration Support Program
Full text linkThis paper addresses a persistent issue in the literature on countering violent extremism (CVE): the lack of robust program theory and an accepted analytical framework for understanding change mechanisms and measuring outcomes. The absence of a comprehensive theory of change in CVE programming can hinder conceptual clarity and practical understanding of the intervention philosophy, weakening the basis for intended outcomes and underlying mechanisms of change. The authors present an evidence-informed theory of change for the Community Integration Support Program (CISP), the longest-running CVE program in Australia. This mixed methods research, which combines quantitative analysis of detailed client assessments and 52 semi-structured interviews with clients and other key stakeholders, examines the main program ingredients that enable the CISP to achieve its intended outcome of client disengagement from terrorism and violent extremism. The results provide novel insights into the change mechanisms of CVE interventions that aim to support disengagement from terrorism and violent extremism, highlighting the need for programs to be holistic, tailored to individual needs, and delivered in a culturally appropriate way by trusted and skilled staff. The findings also indicate that most clients do not show substantive positive change until three or more years in the program. The authors encourage CVE interventions to move beyond ill-defined or generic theories of change to ones that are evidence-based and context-specific.
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by Victoria Police and conducted in partnership with the Board of Imams Victoria (BOIV)
Moro Voices from Mindanao: Addressing extremism in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
Full text linkThis article investigates community perceptions of violent and hateful extremism (VHE) in three municipalities near Marawi City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and their proposed solutions for peace. Data from 41 focus group discussions highlight local understandings of and concerns about extremism, and grassroots peacebuilding strategies in a region with a complex conflict history. The discussions reveal insights into how socio-economic disparities, historical grievances, and cultural dynamics including rido (clan feuds), shape local experiences and perceptions of VHE. Participant remarks regarding inclusion and tolerance show an interest in increasing gender awareness and integration of marginalised groups. At the same time, however, programs expressly described in terms of preventing violent extremism tend to trigger anxious responses. Findings emphasise the importance of culturally sensitive, inclusive, and community-driven approaches to effectively address the underlying causes of extremism and promote sustainable peace, with a focus on livelihoods and incomes, and educational programs. Legitimate concerns about the risks involved in explicitly seeking to counter VHE reinforce the importance of extremely careful approaches, to avoid exacerbating very real threats. The study enriches understanding of community resilience in a conflict setting and provides important insights into how best to support peace efforts in BARMM’s ongoing reconstruction and reconciliation processes
Impossible Justice and the Allure of the Absolute: A Psychoanalytic Reading of Radicalization
Full text linkThis paper examines radicalization through the lens of contemporary psychoanalysis and social theory, challenging the dominant view of radicalization as a singular pathological transformation from a “normal” to an “abnormal” state. Instead, it conceptualizes radicalization as a psychosocial process embedded in subjective identity structures and broader historical conditions. Drawing on concepts such as subjectivity, the sinthome, split-thinking, hybridity, transitional spaces and hauntology, it highlights the psychological, emotional, and ideological mechanisms that make radical ideologies compelling. It explores how radicalized individuals construct meaning through rigid binaries, invest in utopian visions of justice, and develop cognitive patterns that resist moderation or alternative perspectives. Central to this framework is the psychoanalytic concept of the sinthome, which stabilizes subjective identity by providing coherence in the face of existential uncertainty. The discussion situates the appeal of absolute justice within the historical context of modernity’s breakdown and the impact of collective trauma and existential insecurity. The paper concludes by engaging with contemporary disengagement and deradicalization models, arguing that effective interventions must address not only ideological narratives but also the deeper psychological structures that sustain radical identities
Book Review: “Social work and the psychosocial journey out of far-right extremism” by Danny Carroll II, London, Routledge, 2025 pp172, $52.49USD (hardback) ISBN: 9781032813325.
Full text linkThis review examines Social Work and the Psychosocial Journey Out of Far-Right Extremism by Danny Carroll II, an American social worker and scholar whose constructivist grounded theory study explores how individuals exit white supremacist groups. Carroll’s historical analysis traces the evolution of U.S. white ethnonationalism and highlights the vulnerability of America’s fragmented P/CVE infrastructure, including debates over social work involvement in police-led Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) teams. The book’s major contribution is the “Diverse Journey” framework, which reframes disengagement as a nonlinear process shaped by biographical events, disillusionment, and identity reconstruction. While this construct offers clinical value, its transferability to multidisciplinary risk-assessment contexts is limited. The review argues that Carroll neglects to engage relevant American scholarship on far-right exit pathways and could offer stronger guidance for ethical social work practice within existing systems. Nonetheless, the book is a timely call for U.S. social work scholars and practitioners to engage with white supremacist extremism
Evidence or Instinct? An Overview of International Exploration of the Impact Assessment Practices of Intervention Providers Supporting Leaving Extremism
Full text linkDespite the increasing need for tertiary prevention programme interventions, knowledge is lacking on which methods used in programmes work and which do not. Through semi-structured interviews with twelve practitioners and combination of grounded theory and reflexive thematic analysis, this article explores: how do tertiary prevention intervention providers measure the progress or regression of participants; how do tertiary prevention intervention providers measure the impact of programmes; and what is the reasoning for not practising impact assessment. The results show that 50% of the interviewed practitioners measure participant progress with standardised tools or set criteria. To measure participant progress, practitioners employ screening, needs assessment, indicators of change, and standardised tools. Programme development is tracked through monitoring or evaluation conducted by an outside evaluator or funder. Intervention providers prefer not to conduct impact assessment for various reasons, including their academic background that pushes them away from available instruments, feeling that currently available tools are not reliable or a tendency to work based on professional intuition. They hesitate to guarantee results due to fear of losing funding or credibility if a participant relapses and re-engages. Last, this article brings out practitioners’ perspectives that highlight not only current practices but also several gaps in the field that need further research
Strengthening Evidence-based Practice in P/CVE with the INDEED Repository of Studies on Risk and Protective Factors
Full text linkThe field of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) has witnessed significant growth in empirical research over the past decade, particularly in the identification of risk and protective factors associated with violent extremism. However, the rapid expansion of the literature across disciplines such as psychology, criminology, and public health, coupled with access barriers like paywalls, has created challenges for integrating evidence into P/CVE practice. To address these issues, the Horizon 2020 project INDEED launched an online repository in 2022, providing a freely accessible, regularly updated database of studies on risk and protective factors related to violent extremism. This article examines how the INDEED repository supports evidence-based practices in P/CVE by offering an accessible tool for researchers and practitioners to consult and integrate relevant studies. It specifically explores the repository's potential to strengthen P/CVE programme development, and to facilitate evidence-based policing in P/CVE through advanced trainings and professional support. Finally, the article discusses the strengths and limitations of the repository, and reflects on future directions for advancing the repository’s contributions to evidence-based practice in P/CVE.
Acknowledgements
This article is part of the INDEED project which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 10102170
Al Shifa Home: A Model for the Rehabilitation of ISIS Combatants
Full text linkManaging former violent extremists, especially jihadist-affiliated offenders, remains a global challenge. Indefinite detention is unsustainable, yet release without intervention carries serious risks. This paper presents practitioner-based insights from Al Shifa Home (ASH), East Africa’s first private deradicalization center, offering a promising model for disengagement and reintegration. Since May 2023, ASH has supported 194 former Islamic State combatants through a 12-week residential program combining psychosocial care, ideological rehabilitation, and livelihood training. Early results show 90% mental health improvement, 75% reduction in violent intent, and only two recidivism attempts. Post-program, all participants pursued education or employment, with 33% countering extremist influence. ASH’s model draws on local cultural frameworks, strategic disengagement methods, and Koehler’s “re-pluralization” theory. This paper explores its theory of change, operations, and early outcomes, arguing for holistic rehabilitation that blends psychological, ideological, and socio-economic support. ASH offers valuable lessons for effective, humane extremist disengagement in conflict-affected regions
Guardians of Peace, Victims of Betrayal: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Military Personnel Navigating Scepticism, Trust, and Hope in Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor
Full text linkWhile Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) programmes are essential to post-conflict peacebuilding, their success depends on the perception and buy-in of key stakeholders, including security forces. This article examines the lived experiences of military personnel implementing Nigeria’s flagship deradicalisation and reintegration initiative, Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC). While OPSC involves multiple actors, including correctional officers, psychologists, and religious counsellors, the present study focuses specifically on frontline soldiers stationed at the Mallam Sidi deradicalisation camp in Gombe State. These military personnel, many of whom were previously engaged in direct combat with Boko Haram, are now tasked with facilitating the reintegration of those same adversaries. These personnel express deep uncertainty and a cautious optimism towards the programme. Drawing on qualitative interviews analysed through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study introduces a betrayal–redemption framework to capture the psychosocial experiences of these frontline implementers. Narratives of betrayal, by government institutions, colleagues, and communities, reveal the depth of institutional neglect, mistrust, and scepticism about ex-combatants’ repentance, all of which shape the operational identity of these actors. Yet a parallel, more hopeful view emerged, marked by cautious optimism, signs of post-traumatic growth, and acknowledgement of the programme’s role in intelligence gathering and enhancing local security. This dual perspective provides both conceptual and practical insights. Conceptually, it enriches DDR scholarship by foregrounding implementers’ emotional labour, a dimension often overlooked in existing research. Practically, it highlights the need for staff support systems, welfare reforms, and monitoring safeguards to ensure the sustainability of DDR efforts, describing it as a necessary, albeit imperfect, step toward peace. This article argues that reintegration risk facing challenges without putting into consideration the perceptions and experiences of those charged with delivering it