While violent radicalisation definitely is a phenomenon one would wish to vanish, all these belligerent metaphors make me concerned. They sound very aggressive and yet we know that violence only begets violence. Make peace, not war, eh?
So why not use rhetorics of reconstruction, empathy, and possibilities. Why not focus on what schools can do to promote pupil participation and wellbeing.
Adam Deen, who calls himself a former "Islamic extremist",
writes that "creating a sense of belonging for individuals who feel forgotten or excluded in our fast-moving world" is key in building alternatives to violence. A former Finnish Neo-Nazi leader Henrik Holappa writes in his
biography that he wishes there had been just one wise adult to guide him when he started to become drawn into extremism in his late teens.
Researcher Leena Malkki from the Finnish University of Helsinki, whose areas of expertise include radicalisation and counter radicalisation and school shootings, sees terrorism also as an educational challenge. In a recent presentation (9/2017), she said that finding meaning in life and feeling dignified are often crucial factors in the processes of seceding from and resisting violent extremism.
According to studies, Finnish adolescents, and young boys especially, are biased against ethnic minorities. Prejudice, and the associated fear of otherness, often seems to be the result of ignorance. Thus, Finnish schools and policymakers are taking measures to intensify cultural and global education in schools and during leisure activities, as well as increase opportunities for engaging in dialogue and interaction among different cultures. Teachers, as a part of the teaching process, are able to improve pupils' media literacy skills and help them understand how decision-making in society can be influenced through non-violent means.
It's important to recognise that there's no single route to radicalisation. Similarly, there must be many roadblocks to guide young people towards other directions. It has been
suggested that a successful approach to tackle radicalisation can be found in strengthening community cohesion by focusing on the links between all communities. Another recommendation for schools is to be prepared to react to major extremism-related events by creating space for discussion and questions. These activities are hoped to empower students to become active citizens and to participate more fully in democracy – through hearing and understanding different ideas and opinions, and learning how to constructively critique and challenge ideas.
