Dialogue About Radicalisation and Equality

In an increasingly polarised world, there is widespread concern that young people are being drawn into various forms of extremism. Security-driven studies suggest violent extremists follow a common process of “radicalisation” but are unable to predict who will engage in violent behaviour. On the other hand, the implication that others sharing similar characteristics are potential extremists has stigmatised whole communities with counterproductive consequences. The EU-funded DARE project will switch the focus of attention to young people engaging with radical ideas and milieus but not having crossed the threshold to violence. Through its close-up study of processes driving, but also constraining, young people’s movement towards extremism, the project will generate policy recommendations and practitioner toolkits to prevent violent extremism that draws directly from young people’s experience.