Resisting Radicalization: Exploring the Nonoccurrence of Violent Extremism

"Uncovers contradictions and surprises about how policies intended to curb extremism can misfire, how they can be used to buttress repressive regimes, and how difficult it is to generalize across contexts." -Mary B. Anderson, founder and former president of CDA Collaborative Learning Projects

Precarious living conditions across the Balkans, the Middle East, and North Africa create fertile ground for radical ideas. Yet, despite genuine grievances and legitimate grounds for anger, most people living in these regions are not radicalized and do not embrace ideas that lead to acts of violent extremism. Which raises the question ... why?

To answer this question, the authors of Resisting Radicalization investigate the nonoccurrence of violent extremism in what they term enabling environments. Their work, the result of a multiyear international project, has critical implications for the future of P/CVE (Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism) programs.