Policy Design and its Practical Implementation: Towards a Societal Approach to Counteracting Radicalisation

This paper draws on three elements of research conducted as part of the H2020 DARE project to suggest evidence of a move amongst policy makers and practitioners towards a more long-term, societal approach in counter-radicalisation policy and practice. The paper is based, firstly, on the analysis of 25 interviews with experts (practitioners from 14 countries) representing a range of institutions at the national and the EU levels (RAN, Europol). Secondly, it draws on the findings of the in-depth study of more than 100 existing security policies and interventions in radicalisation and counter-radicalisation at the EU, national and local levels (from 20 countries). Thirdly, it brings insights from two International Workshops (held in Warsaw) with those personally involved in or affected by extremism and currently active in countering violent extremism (CVE), namely: families whose children or relatives have been radicalised by Islamist ideologies; and former far-right activists. It argues that, as part of this ‘whole society’ approach to counter radicalisation, responses to radicalisation are also being increasingly oriented to the community level.