This document summarizes a research project called RADISKAN that examines discourses and effects of preventing radicalization in Scandinavia. The project aims to analyze how categories of potentially "vulnerable" individuals are created through national action plans against radicalization, despite a lack of empirical evidence supporting radicalization theories. Additionally, the project seeks to understand the impact of preventive measures on suspect groups and society, and how insecurity around radicalization affects trust within society. The researchers hope to provide an analysis of how understandings of radicalization are formulated, framed, and experienced from the perspectives of those implementing prevention efforts and those being monitored.

1. Searching the unkown: discourses
and effects of preventing
radicalization in Scandinavia
(RADISKAN)
Therese Sandrup Nerina Weiss
Therese.sandrup@ffi.no Nerina.Weiss@fafomail.no

2. The concept of radicalization

3. The concept of radicalization
- The aim is social change and the achievement of political
goals
- Shift from groups and organizations towards individuals
- Direct process following a linear directions
- Phase-based theory.
- Radicalization as threat to democracy
- Use of violence as well as the mere acceptance of such
actions and beliefs.

4. Radicalization
Norwegian Action
Plan
Swedish Action
Plan
Danish Actin Plan
a process whereby
a person
increasingly
accepts the use of
violence to achieve
political,
ideological or
religious goals
the process that
leads to a person
or group
supporting or
enacting
ideologically
motivated violence
to promote a cause
the process in
which a person
gradually accepts
the ideas and
methods of
extremism and,
possibly, joins its
organised groups

5. Violent extremism
Norwegian Action
Plan
Swedish Action Plan Danish Action Plan
activities of persons
and groups that are
willing to use
violence in order to
achieve their
political, ideological
or religious goals
a collective term for
movements,
ideologies or
milieus that do not
accept a
democratic social
order and promote
violence to achieve
ideological goals
characterised by
totalitarian and
anti-democratic
ideologies,
intolerance to the
views of others,
hostile imagery and
a division into
«them» and «us»

6. The concept of radicalization
• No causal link between e.g. vulnerability and
exclusion through radicalization to violence and
terrorism (Hemmingsen 2011)
• Radical beliefs not a proxy for terrorism (Borum
2011)
• Lack of attention to the wider circumstances
(Sedgwick 2010)

7. The concept of radicalization
Due to reasons of personal safety, political
sensitivity and perceived methodological
difficulty, researchers have largely shied away
from action and actor-based research […]. The
inevitable result has been a very lopsided
literature which says surprisingly little on some
very important aspects of the subject.
(Silke 2004: 9)

8. The concept of radicalization
- Theories of terrorism, and radicalization
processes that may lead to terrorism, lack
significant empirical substantiation.
- No dominating theory of radicalization
- In spite of this, strong political focus on
preventive action against radicalization (cf.
National Action Plans against radicalization)

9. RADISKAN
What discourses on what levels inform preventive actions.
What is their impact on ‘suspect communities’ and on
society at large?
How are categories of potentially ‘vulnerable’ individuals and
groups created?
How do preventive measures impact potential suspect
groups? And how are these measures experienced by the
latter?
How do insecurity and ambivalence around radicalization
impact levels of trust and distrust within society?

10. RADISKAN
…towards an analysis of the social settings in
which understandings of radicalization are
formulated, framed and experienced.

11. RADISKAN
a study of those who look for potentially
radicalized groups vs. those who are being
looked at.

12. Thank you