Toward a Framework Understanding of Online Programs for Countering Violent Extremism

Authors

  • Garth Davies Simon Fraser University
  • Christine Neudecker Simon Fraser University
  • Marie Ouellet Simon Fraser University
  • Martin Bouchard Simon Fraser University
  • Benjamin Ducol Université de Montréal.

Abstract

There is an emerging consensus that ideologically-based narratives play a central role in encouraging and sustaining radicalization to violence, and that preventing, arresting, or reversing radicalization requires some means by which to address the effects of these narratives. Countering violent extremism (CVE) is a broad umbrella phrase that covers a wide array of approaches that have been advanced to reduce the radicalizing effects of extremist narratives. There is considerably less agreement, however, regarding the most appropriate means by which the mitigation of extremist narratives might best be accomplished. An important emerging area of interest is the role of the Internet, both as a forum through which narratives are transmitted and as an avenue for delivering CVE programs. At present, very little is known about which principles and practices should inform online CVE initiatives. This study attempts to establish a foundation and framework for these programs: first, by identifying the concepts and constructs which may be most relevant to countering violent extremism online, and second, by examining the available material from six online CVE programs in relation to these concepts. This examination suggests that these programs are lacking strong theoretical foundations and do not address important elements of radicalization, such as contextual factors or identity issues. It is important that future iterations of CVE programs consider not just the specific content of the narratives, but also take into account why these narratives have resonance for particular individuals.

 

Author’s Note: The authors wish to thank Public Safety Canada for their generous support of the research on which this article is based. The article has been adapted from material found in, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, “Assessment of the State of Knowledge: Connections between Research on the Social Psychology of the Internet and Violent Extremism.” The views expressed in the current article only engage the authors.

Author Biography

Benjamin Ducol, Université de Montréal.

Research affiliate, International Centre for Comparative Criminology, Université de Montréal.

References

Aldrich, D. P. (2014). First steps towards hearts and minds? USAID’s countering violent extremism policies in Africa. Terrorism and Political Violence (Online first), 1-24.

Ashour, O. (2011). Online de-radicalization? Countering violent extremist narratives: Message, messenger and media Strategy. Perspectives on Terrorism, 4(6), 15-19.

Berger, J. M. (2011, July 8). Terrorist acts, terrorist thoughts. Intelwire. Retrieved from http://news.intelwire.com/2011/07/policing-terrorist-acts-policing.html

Berger, J. M., & Strathearn, B. (2013). Who Matters Online: Measuring Influence, Evaluating Content and Countering Violent Exremism in Online Social Networks.

Bouchard, M., & Thomas, E. (2015). Radical and Connected: Concluding thoughts and future research. In M. Bouchard (Ed.). Social network, terrorism and counter-terrorism: Radical and connected. New York: Routledge.

Bowman-Grieve, L. (2009). Exploring “Stormfront” A virtual community of the radical right. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 32(11), 989-1007.

Braddock, K., & Horgan, J. (2015). Towards a guide for constructing and disseminating counter-narratives to reduce support for terrorism. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 00-00. doi:10.1080/1057610X.2015.1116277

Briggs, R. & Feve, S. (2013). Report on Review of programs to counter narratives of violent extremism: What works and what are the implications for government. Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Retrieved from http://www.strategicdialogue.org/ISD_Kanishka_Report.pdf (Accessed April 10, 2015).

Corman, S. (2011). Understanding the Role of Narrative in Extremist Strategic Communication. In L. Fenstermacher and T. Leventhal (Eds.). Countering Violent Extremism: Scientific Methods and Strategies. Washington, DC: NSI, Inc., pp. 36-43.

Dalgaard-Nielsen, A. (2010). Violent radicalization in Europe: What we know and what we do not know. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 33(9), 797-814.

Davies, G., Bouchard, M., Wu, E. Frank, R., & Joffres, K. (2015). Terrorist and extremist organizations’ use of the Internet for recruitment. In M. Bouchard (Ed.), Social network, terrorism and counter-terrorism: Radical and connected. New York: Routledge.

Ducol, B. (2012). Uncovering the French speaking Jihadisphere: An exploratory analysis. Media, War & Conflict, 5(1), 51-70.

Ducol, B. (2015). A radical sociability: In defense of an online/offline multidimensional approach to radicalization. In M. Bouchard (Ed.) Social networks, terrorism and counter-terrorism: Radical and connected (pp. 82-104). London: Routledge.

Edelman, A. (2014). State Department’s ‘embarrassing’ ‘Think Again Turn Away’ Twitter campaign could actually legitimize terrorists: expert. New York Daily News, September 16, 2014.

Gearan, A. (2014). U.S. attempts to combat Islamic State propaganda. The Washington Post, September 7, 2014.

Gerraerts, S. (2012). Digital radicalisation of youth. Social Cosmos, 3(1), 25-32.

Goodall, H. L. (2010). From tales of the field to tales of the future. Organizational Research Methods, 13(2), 256-267.

Hafez. M.,and Mullins, C. (2015) The radicalization puzzle: A theoretical synthesis of empirical approaches to homegrown extremism. Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 38:11, 958-975.

Halverson, J. R., & Way, A. K. (2012). The curious case of Colleen LaRose: Social margins, new media, and online radicalisation. Media, War & Conflict, 5(2), 139-153.

Hansen, M. (2014). State Department combats Islamic State recruitment via social media. Los Angeles Times, September 6, 2014.

Helmus, T. C., York, E., & Chalk, P. (2013). Promoting online voices for countering violent extremism. RAND Corporation.

Hoffman, B. (2008). The myth of grass-roots terrorism: Why Osama bin Laden still matters. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/63408/bruce-hoffman/the-myth-of-grass-roots-terrorism (Accessed April 18, 2015).

Horgan, J. (2008). Deradicalization or disengagement? A process in need of clarity and a counterterrorism initiative in need of evaluation. Perspectives on Terrorism, 2(4), 3-8.

Hussain, G. & Saltman, E. M. (2014). Report on Jihad trending: A comprehensive analysis of online extremism and how to counter it. Quilliam. Retrieved from http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/jihad-trending-quilliam-report.pdf

Jenkins, B. (2011). Would-Be Warriors: Incidents of Jihadist Terrorist Radicalization in the United States Since September 11, 2001. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.

Katz, R. (2014, September 16). The State Department’s Twitter war with ISIS is embarrassing. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/3387065/isis-twitter-war-state-department/ (Accessed June 15, 2015).

Koehler, D. (2014). The radical online: Individual radicalization processes and the role of the Internet. Journal for Deradicalization, Winter (2014/15), 116-134.

Kühle, L., & Lindekilde, L. (2010). Radicalization among young Muslims in Aarhus. The Centre for Studies in Islamism and Radicalisation & Department of Political Science, Aarhus University.

McCants, W., & Watts, C. (2012). US Strategy for Countering Violent Extremism: An Assessment. Foreign Policy Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA.

Neumann, P. R. (2013). Options and strategies for countering online radicalization in the United States. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 36(6), 431-459.

Pantucci, R. (2011). A typology of lone wolves: Preliminary analysis of lone Islamist terrorists. International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence. Retrieved from http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1302002992ICSRPaper_ATypologyofLoneWolves_Pantucci.pdf (Accessed June 1, 2015).

Pauwels, L., & Schils, N. (2016). Differential online exposure to extremist content and political violence: Testing the relative strength of social learning and competing perspectives. Terrorism and Political Violence, 28(1), 1-29.

RCMP-GRC. (2011). A national security criminal investigations program on youth online and at risk: radicalization facilitated by the internet. Retrieved from http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/nsci-ecsn/rad/rad-eng.htm (Accessed November 14, 2014).

Sageman, M. (2008a). A strategy for fighting international Islamist terrorists. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 618, 223-231.

Sageman, M. (2008b). Leaderless jihad: Terror networks in the twenty-first century. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Schmid, A. P. (2013). Radicalisation, de-radicalisation, counter-radicalisation: A conceptual discussion and literature review. The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. Retrieved from http://www.icct.nl/download/file/ICCT-Schmid-Radicalisation-De-Radicalisation-Counter-Radicalisation-March-2013.pdf (Accessed November 14, 2014).

Schmid, A. P. (2014). Al-Qaeda’s “Single Narrative” and Attempts to Develop Counter-Narratives: The State of Knowledge.

Sedgwick, M. (2010). The concept of radicalization as a source of confusion. Terrorism and Political Violence, 22(4), 479-494.

Seib, P., & Janbek, D.M. (2011). Global terrorism and new media: The post al-Qaeda generation. London & New York: Routledge.

Shane, S. (2015, June 24). Homegrown extremists tied to deadlier toll than Jihadists in U.S. since 9/11. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/us/tally-of-attacks-in-us-challenges-perceptions-of-top-terror-threat.html?_r=0 (Accessed June 25, 2015).

Stevens, T. & Neumann, P.R. (2009). Report on countering online radicalization: A strategy for action by the international centre for the study of radicalization and political violence. The International Centre for the Study of radicalization and political violence. Retrieved from http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/1236768491ICSROnlineRadicalisationReport.pdf (Accessed November 14, 2014).

Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 7(3), 321-326.

Thompson, R. L. (2011). Radicalization and the use of social media. Journal of Strategic Security, 4(4), 167-190.

Venhaus, J. M. (2010). Looking for a Fight: Why Youth Join al-Qaeda and How to Prevent It. U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA.

Vidino, L. (2010). Countering radicalization in America. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, Special Report 262, November, 2010.

Von Behr, I., Reding, A., Edwards, C., & Gribbon, L. (2013). Radicalisation in the Digital Era: The Use of the Internet in 15 Cases of Terrorism and Extremism. Brussels: RAND Europe.

Weimann, G. (2012). Lone wolves in cyberspace. Journal of Terrorism Research, 3(2) doi:10.15664/jtr.405

Downloads

Published

2016-03-29

Issue

Section

Articles