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Deradicalization

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Media and Information Literacy: Reinforcing Human Rights, Countering Radicalization and Extremism (Yearbook 2016), a training program on media literacy promoted by UNESCO, UNITWIN Cooperation Programme, UNAOC, and GAPMIL.

Deradicalization refers to a process of encouraging a person with extreme political, social or religious views to adopt more moderate positions on the issues.[1][2]

Measures and projects

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Google's think tank Jigsaw has been developing a new program − called the Redirect Method − in which Google's search advertising algorithms and YouTube's video platform are used to target aspiring ISIS recruits and ultimately dissuade them from joining the group.[3]

Machine learning and scientific inquiry can be used to find the most effective contents (such as videos) for deradicalization, to learn why people leave terrorist movements and to identify aspiring violent radicals.

Humera Khan, executive director of the Islamic deradicalization group Muflehu, states that deradicalization also needs human interaction and a supportive community backing up the person's decision to turn away from extremism.[3]

Renee Garfinkel also notes that personal relationships play a major role in the transformation of involvement in violence to non-violent activity, saying "change often hinges on a relationship with a mentor or friend who supports and affirms peaceful behavior".[4]

Many nations and universities are engaging in deradicalization efforts.[5][6][7]

Programmes in Western Europe

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Multiple Western Europe countries have implemented deradicalization programs in a variety of forms, specifically after September 11, 2001.[8] In more recent years, some countries saw a drastic increases in the number of jihadists attacks, especially France. In September 2016, France opened its first deradicalization centre in Pontourny. The original plan was to have the Pontourny center the first of multiple in the country, however, the Pontourny centre turned out to be a failure. Less than a year after it opened, the deradicalization centre in Pontourny had no residents.[8] Spain launched its prison deradicalization program for jihadists in 2016, and suspended it in 2022, as only four inmates had signed up for it.[9]

Criticism

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Sociologist Gérald Bronner calls the notion of "deradicalization" flawed, saying "It means that you can take an idea or a belief out of the brain, and I think that’s just impossible" and instead suggests "not a kind of mental manipulation but the opposite — mind liberation, a strengthening of their intellectual immune systems".[5]

One study found that Islamic State supporters responded to counter-radicalization efforts by censoring expression of pro-IS views and moving their activity from public social media to Telegram, a non publicly viewable medium.[10]

See also

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Bibliography

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  • Ramakrishna, Kumar. Extremist Islam: Recognition and Response in Southeast Asia. United States, Oxford University Press, 2022.

References

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  1. ^ "Deradicalization Definition und Bedeutung | Collins Wörterbuch". www.collinsdictionary.com (in German). Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  2. ^ "deradicalization - definition of deradicalization in English | Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Retrieved 23 May 2017.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b Greenberg, Andy (2016-09-07). "Google's Clever Plan to Stop Aspiring ISIS Recruits". Wired. WIRED. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  4. ^ Horgan, John (19 November 2010). "Deradicalization or Disengagement?". Perspectives on Terrorism. 2 (4). Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b "France to open first of 12 'deradicalization' centers for at-risk youths". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  6. ^ Koerner, Brendan I. (2016-11-13). "A Judge May Send Men Guilty of Terrorism to Anti-Extremism Therapy Instead of Prison". Wired. WIRED. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  7. ^ Koehler, Daniel (22 September 2016). "The NYC Bombing Highlights Our Urgent Need for Deradicalization Programs". Huffington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  8. ^ a b Samaan, Jean-Loup; Jacobs, Andreas (7 February 2018). "Countering Jihadist Terrorism: A Comparative Analysis of French and German Experiences". Terrorism and Political Violence. 32 (2): 401–415. doi:10.1080/09546553.2017.1415891. S2CID 149040793.
  9. ^ Enrique Recio (7 November 2022). "Interior cancela el programa para desradicalizar yihadistas en prisión tras su fracaso". The Objective (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  10. ^ Mitts, Tamar (2021). "Countering Violent Extremism and Radical Rhetoric". International Organization. 76: 251–272. doi:10.1017/S0020818321000242. ISSN 0020-8183. S2CID 235560623.
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