Journal for Deradicalization
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Socioeconomic Grievances, Opportunities, and Frames: Conceptualizing Marginalization and Islamist Radicalization in Post-2011 Egypt and Tunisia, and Implications for PCVE
Full text linkThe article investigates the widespread assumption that socioeconomic marginalization helps explain the dynamics of radicalization, using the example of Islamist radicalization in Egypt and Tunisia after 2011. It develops a theoretical framework informed by social movement theory and, based on a comprehensive study of both academic publications and grey literature on the case studies published between 2011 and 2023, identifies key mechanisms linking socioeconomic factors and Islamist radicalization. It finds evidence for two major categories of mechanisms: Socioeconomic grievances can drive radicalization processes by motivating individuals or groups to use violent tactics or join violent groups, and by contributing to the delegitimization of the state, which, in turn, can legitimize the use of violence. Socioeconomic opportunities, which are basically created by the (relative) absence of the state and its services, can contribute to radicalization by enabling violent groups to generate material resources, and by providing radical groups with the opportunity to attract supporters and followers and gain legitimacy among them by offering social services. The article identifies a lack of studies on framing processes and narratives that could explain the extent and manner of the groups’ own referral to socioeconomic marginalization. In sum, the developed framework aims to help explaining the occurrence of radicalization in socioeconomically marginalized areas but also contribute to a better understanding of why many disenfranchised areas do not become jihadist hotbeds. The article concludes with discussing the practical implications of its findings, highlighting potentials for prevention, deradicalization and reintegration efforts.
Acknowledgments
Research for this paper has been generously supported by a grant of the Volkswagen Foundation in the context of the research project “The socioeconomic dimension of Islamist radicalization in Egypt and Tunisia”. We would also like to thank Ahmed Aakhunzzada for research support and Jonas Wolff for comments to an earlier version of this paper
The Resurgence of Militant Groups in Pakistan's Borderlands: Analyzing Shortcomings in Rehabilitation and Reintegration Strategies
Full text linkThe rise of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan has had profound implications for Pakistan's border regions, particularly in terms of the resurgence of militant groups. This study investigates the potential policy failures of the Pakistani government in effectively utilizing its resources for the rehabilitation and reintegration of former militants. While some ex-combatants have undergone rehabilitation, a significant majority have been left without adequate support, possibly due to resource constraints. Notably, the rehabilitation process has been exclusively under the control of the military, with no civilian involvement allowed. This approach has created a substantial gap between the community and the ex-combatants attempting to reintegrate into society. Consequently, the ex-combatants have often encountered unwelcoming communities and stigmatization, leading many of them to opt for recidivism. This study employs a micro-ethnographic approach, with the researcher spending considerable time collecting primary data from the affected communities, administrators of rehabilitation centers, and the ex-combatants who have undergone rehabilitation. The findings suggest that a community-based approach to rehabilitation, involving the local community in the process, holds significant promise for successful reintegration. By assessing the consequences of current rehabilitation and reintegration approaches, this study sheds light on the urgent need for a more inclusive, community-driven strategy to address the issue of ex-combatant reintegration in Pakistan's border regions. Implementing such an approach could potentially mitigate the resurgence of militant groups and foster long-term stability in the region
The Role of Cognitive Fusion in Pathways to Violent Radicalization and Deradicalization
Full text linkA better understanding of modifiable psychological processes that could reduce pathways to violent radicalization (VR) would greatly aid researchers, providers, policy makers, and individuals at risk for VR. Cognitive fusion, the tendency for behavior to be overly regulated and influenced by one’s thoughts and feelings, and a common intervention target within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), may be one such fulcrum. Participants, recruited via gateway snowball sampling, were 233 young adults drawn from five communities in North America as part of Wave 4 of the Somali Youth Longitudinal Study. Utilizing moderation and mediation path analysis in MPlus, the study examined the relations between cognitive fusion, VR, and three important variables associated with VR risk: post traumatic stress symptoms, experiences of daily discrimination, and perceptions of a just government. Findings supported that higher levels of cognitive fusion were directly related to greater openness to VR. Additionally, higher levels of cognitive fusion statistically mediated the link between both daily discrimination and openness to VR as well as between post traumatic stress symptoms and openness to VR. Findings also highlighted that cognitive fusion and perceptions of a just government interacted such that openness to VR was highest in individuals who had low perceptions of a just government and had high levels of cognitive fusion. Results of this study provide preliminary evidence of the potential role of high cognitive fusion in the pathways to VR and further evidence for its potential integration as a target domain within deradicalization efforts
Evidence and Ideology in the Independent Review of Prevent
Full text linkA key part of the United Kingdom’s counter-terrorism framework, the Prevent Strategy is designed to operate ‘upstream’ to stop people becoming or supporting terrorists. In February 2023 the long-awaited independent review of Prevent reported, evaluating the Strategy against its core objectives. Led by Sir William Shawcross, the report claimed that Prevent’s overarching rationale remains good because the UK continues to face a genuine terrorist threat, but lamented its diversion toward safeguarding and its downplaying of Islamist extremism as the purportedly most pressing source of radicalisation within the UK today. To declare the reception to Shawcross’ report mixed would be generous, with some observers even demanding that the Government withdraw the review. We share many concerns raised by civil society groups and practitioners, and in this piece argue that the Review is fundamentally flawed because of its partial – in the sense of both limited and biased – engagement with the relevant (and extensive) knowledge base that exists around radicalisation, counter radicalisation, and Prevent. More specifically – and with particular attention to the report’s emphasis on ‘ideology’ – we show: (i) that the report suffers from a selective, and problematic, engagement with relevant academic research that poorly represents established knowledge in this area; (ii) that this selective engagement leads to a questionable, and highly contestable, conceptual framing of the report’s core terms and parameters; and, (iii) that this contestable framing has implications for operationalisation of the report’s findings. In doing this, the article makes three core contributions in: (i) situating the Shawcross review in relevant historical and policy contexts; (ii) offering original analytical critique of the review’s methodological and political assumptions and findings; and, (iii) extending research on the mechanisms of counter-terrorism review via this new – and underexplored – case study
Book Review: Gaming and Extremism: The Radicalization of Digital Playgrounds Edited by Linda Schlegel and Rachel Kowert
Full text linkThis article reviews Gaming and Extremism: The Radicalization of Digital Playgrounds (2024), edited by Linda Schlegel and Rachel Kowert. Gaming and Extremism (2024) presents the current state of the literature on the nexus between videogames, gaming spaces, and extremism
Social Work Methods and Prevention of Radicalization
Full text linkThis article, a revised and expanded version of Ostwaldt (2022a), serves as a discussion impulse to introduce the German-language discourse on radicalization prevention to an international audience. It examines how specific social work methods and working principles, such as multi-perspective casework, functional equivalents, and community-based approaches, contribute to enhancing radicalization prevention efforts. The article contends that despite the extensive use of social work methods in radicalization prevention, the field suffers from a fragmented methodological framework and lacks standardized professional guidelines, leading to notable inconsistencies in practice. To address these issues, the article advocates for a systematic professionalization of radicalization prevention, emphasizing the need for specialized training programs and clearly defined competency profiles. Additionally, the article highlights the need to distinguish between supportive social work and explicitly preventive measures to reduce ambiguity in practice. By systematically integrating social work methods, the field can enhance its theoretical foundation, achieve clearer professional standards, and better address the root causes of extremism. This publication seeks to inspire a broader international discourse on the critical role of social work in radicalization prevention, emphasizing the necessity for methodological rigor in effectively addressing and mitigating extremist tendencies
Polarization Surpassed: Perspectives of Portuguese Gatekeepers on Immigration and Cultural Relativism Across the Political Spectrum
Full text linkThis qualitative study investigates how Portuguese societal gatekeepers from across the political spectrum address and mitigate polarization surrounding immigration and cultural relativism. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 20 influential figures in politics, media, and civil society, the research uncovers how these gatekeepers foster inclusive narratives that emphasize human rights and social cohesion, distinguishing Portugal from other European contexts marked by highly polarized immigration debates. Despite diverse ideological positions, the findings reveal a shared commitment to tempering extreme views through dialogue, mutual understanding, and strategic framing of immigration as an opportunity for cultural enrichment rather than a societal threat.
The study demonstrates how this consensus-driven approach counteracts divisive rhetoric and populist exploitation of immigration issues, enabling Portugal to maintain societal cohesion in the face of growing multiculturalism. Unlike many European countries where populist movements fuel polarization, Portuguese gatekeepers strategically leverage integration policies to reinforce belonging and universal human rights. This model not only reduces alienation but also minimizes the risk of radicalization, emphasizing the importance of balancing cultural diversity with adherence to shared democratic values.
The findings underscore the critical role of local actors in counter-radicalization (P/CVE) efforts by promoting inclusive, human-rights-centered approaches that safeguard vulnerable groups while fostering resilience against extremism. By offering actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners, this research provides a framework for other nations grappling with similar challenges. The Portuguese experience illustrates how context-sensitive strategies rooted in inclusivity and dialogue can build cohesive, multicultural societies that uphold universal freedoms while celebrating diversity.
Acknowledgments
The article was produced with the financial support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; ref: UI/BD/151564/2021
The Power Threat Meaning Framework: Implications for Practice in Preventing Extremist Violence
Full text linkThe contribution and influence of psychological distress to interest and involvement in extremist violence has received considerable attention in recent years. At the same time, dominant medical models for understanding such distress - typically framed as mental illness or disorder - have been challenged by emerging alternative paradigms in parts of the Western world. Understanding the contribution of psychological distress to extremist violence and how to prevent it requires consideration through these emerging paradigms and interpretative lenses. The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) is one such paradigm, increasingly used by practitioners to understand and prevent psychological distress, unusual experiences, or troubled or troubling behaviour. This paper outlines its central theory and principles, investigates how these are relevant to informing our understanding of the troubling behaviour of involvement in extremist violence, and its implications for preventative practice, illustrated through an example case study. The case is made for the potential of this paradigm to support effective and ethical practice in the context of extremist violence
Interviewing activists and terrorists: a detailed research protocol
Full text linkIn the domain of PVE as well as reintegration, the most interesting studies are arguably based on material collected first-hand from the individuals involved in the phenomenon of political violence or terrorism. As more individuals from the 2013-2016 wave of foreign terrorist fighters are exiting the criminal justice system, young individuals with no memory of that period are sympathizing with ISIS and others again are joining right-wing groups with violent agendas. Understanding the motives behind such engagement will always lead a portion of the scholars to pursue interview-based studies. This paper describes the research protocol used for a study which dealt with politico-ideological mobilization and violence in relation to causes and conflicts in the Arab World. More than one hundred interviews were conducted in Lebanon, Switzerland and Canada with individuals involved in politico-ideological mobilization or violence of different ideological orientations. Besides interviews, complementary material in the form of ethnographic fieldnotes and voice recordings via instant messaging were collected. The data was compiled into a MAXQDA database and coded according to the principles of Grounded Theory, using open, selective, axial and theoretical coding. The paper further discusses epistemological and ethical considerations
A case series of a client-led, non-confrontational, conversational method to address radicalisation
Full text linkThis exploratory case series provides foundational knowledge on applying a novel, therapeutic approach – the ‘Method of Levels’ (MOL) – to radical or non-mainstream views. Despite a lack of consensus on deradicalisation approaches in the literature, there is growing agreement and support for the use of empowering dialogue and a non-coercive approach that moves away from confrontational means of dealing with ideologies. In this case series, four people who self-identify as holding radical, or non-mainstream, views, attended a session of MOL and a post-MOL interview. The acceptability of MOL was assessed utilising qualitative and quantitative measures, with findings suggesting that participants found this an acceptable intervention due to the nature of the approach. This case series is an early step in the application of MOL to people with self-identified radical or non-mainstream views