Counter-radicalization in Europe: A Critical Review of Existing Prevention Tools

• In Event: Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Radicalization: Assessment of the Phenomenon, Prevention Tools and Counter-radicalization Policy Analysis.

Abstract

Recent terrorist acts across Europe have put pressure on politicians and law enforcement agencies to react. European Union and member state funding for counter-radicalisation efforts have therefore reached growing heights. As a result, thousands of new prevention projects, tools and other measures have been hastily introduced in the last few years. The presentation delivers results from the EU-funded research project PERICLES (Policy Recommendation and Improved Communication Tools for Law Enforcement and Security Agencies Preventing Violent Radicalisation). It includes a comprehensive and critical review of existing prevention tools used in Europe to prevent vulnerable individuals from being radicalized in times of digital propaganda. The study comprises various types of ideologies. Results indicate that a vast majority of the programs analysed within this study have been assembled without a sound theoretical framework. Furthermore, a comparative content analysis shows that many programmes share repeated design. In addition, some phenomena (such as digital propaganda) are often mentioned in the program’s name but are not explicitly addressed in the plan. Overall, it appears that the enrichment of existing prevention structures might cause a higher impact than the ongoing introduction of new prevention tools, advisory means or competence centres.

Author

• Dominic Kudlacek, Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony