The route to radicalisation is a complex one, and a coherent response can only be based on grassroots action in communities
Islamist fighters, claiming to be British, in a recruitment video for terrorist group Isis. Photograph
The Isis recruitment video that emerged on the internet last weekfeaturing two men from Cardiff and another from Aberdeen has caught the media's attention across the UK. However, the issue of young British Muslims travelling to Syria has been a real concern to those working on the counter-terrorism agenda for many months now.
One of the main questions being asked is how are these young British Muslims becoming radicalised. Well, it is not something that happens overnight. It is a process of influence and persuasion that eventually leads to a change in world view and beliefs. It is an extremely complex phenomenon, and many factors are likely to play a role in it.
This is not just about the eternal rewards people mention when talking of "jihad" (though these are extremely important). It is also about those involved with these types of activities feeling special and significant; it is about them tapping into the perception held by certain people that extremism is cool; and it is a chance for them to be able to demonstrate their masculinity and define a distinct identity for themselves. It gives them an escape from their potentially normal and predictable lives.
The excitement of travelling abroad on an adventure plays its part, as does the exhilaration they may feel when they get to handle powerful military hardware. When I was collecting empirical data for my PhD in Cardiff I interviewed a number of individuals who once fought in places like Bosnia and Afghanistan. Many of them reflected on the emotions they felt before they travelled. As one particular respondent explained, "I was 19 … I got some military action and we fired guns, Kalashnikovs, M16s, hand grenades, 36mm canon and all this stuff, incredibly exciting. It would give you an adrenaline rush."
Why is it important to mention this? Well, those former jihadis I interviewed explained how their opinion of the situation quickly changed when they were faced with the harsh reality of war, death and destruction. The romantic image they had of "brothers" going out together on an adventure vanished when they witnessed first-hand the corpses and mutilated bodies. Many of these individuals are now working at the grassroots level in the UK, and their accounts are vital in preventing others going abroad to fight. They are trusted by the youth as they speak from experience; they are able to deglamorise extremism. However, they alone cannot solve this problem. There needs to be a joined-up effort to tackle this threat, one which takes into consideration all the elements of radicalisation.
In the UK the official counter-terrorism strategy is known as Prevent. The version pursued by the Labour government in 2007 primarily focused on countering the threat from the bottom-up, through grassroots and community-funded projects. In 2011, the coalition government released a revised version which focused more on formal social instruments. There is now more of an emphasis on institutions such as schools and universities taking a lead in preventing violent extremism, rather than the community-based approach on which the strategy was founded.
The research I have conducted over the past few years indicates strongly that there needs to be a balance of formal and informal social control in an environment of complete trust and transparency. Sociologist Harvey Molotch argues that, post-9/11, society is increasingly likely to look to technology or legislation to resolve our security issues.
However, although these may be important as part of the over-arching approach, they alone will not be sufficient to solve the threat of extremism. The findings of my research were clear: security measures are normally most effective when the approach is a human one, mediated by informal social practices. These might include local events, such as sports days, where workers are able to build up long-lasting relationships. The ideal is that youth become comfortable approaching them for advice on a variety of topics – one of which could be extremism. Grassroots groups undertaking these kinds of activities need to be supported by government agencies and the police. With that kind of focus, we have a much better chance of countering the threat of violent extremism in the UK.
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