Part 1: Methods and Strategies for Teachers

”Radicalization refers to a short- or long-term process where persons subscribe to extremist views or legitimize their actions on the basis of extremist ideologies.” (Danish Government, 2016 – see the module 1 of part 1: Introduction to Radicalization).

Although there is no final and generally accepted definition of radicalization, the term generally refers to a process – either a short or long term one – which sees the progressive adhesion to an extreme ideology, to the point of legitimizing or even perpetrating violent acts. Said process is ignited and enabled by a series of social and personal circumstances which can amount to an increased vulnerability of the individual to the attraction of extremist ideologies and groups (CPRLV, 2016).

© by Centre for the Prevention of Radicalisation Leading to Violence (CPRLV), all rights reserved

Such circumstances can be divided in societal and/or contextual circumstances and personal/individual circumstances. Societal circumstances include political and/or economic unrest, heightened political discourse, social conflict; individual circumstances can include psychological or socioeconomic vulnerability, precariousness of family ties and social networks. These circumstances can on one hand encourage individuals – especially young people – to question the status quo and their environment and to embark in a quest for meaning; and on the other, act as enablers for extremist groups to recruit vulnerable individuals and offer them the attractive answers and community. So, where does critical thinking come into play in this picture? Along with social and individual circumstances, it is possible to identify protective factors. These include psychological factors such as empathy, cognitive resources and a feeling of belonging; and social factors such as strong family ties, community, social networks and inclusive environments. Critical thinking is the most important of the necessary cognitive resources that can protect an individual from the affiliation to extremist ideologies or groups.

 “Critical thinking can be defined as the ability to think rationally, exploring issues and ideas and understanding the logical connection between them, before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion. It might be also described as the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.” (Wiley, 2011 – See module 2 of Part 1:  Critical Thinking)

The idea of Critical Thinking focuses on teaching students how to think rather than what to think. Critical thinking is the ability to assess and question information, opinions, ideas, and to determine the validity of arguments and ideologies. It can act as a shield against fake news and biased propaganda, and support individuals in building their own identity and independent opinions. Critical thinking is the foundation of democratic societies, as only critical and informed citizens can fully exercise their right to vote and actively participate in the democratic life of their society.

Adolescence is a time of social and emotional vulnerability for most young people, and it is characterized by a quest for answers and for one’s identity. This is particularly true for youngsters who don’t fit the mainstream mold, be it because of their ethnic or socio-economic origin, be it because of their sexual orientation or simply because they have trouble socializing. Schools can in fact turn out to be environments that heighten social anxieties and marginalization.

According to sociologist Charles Horton Cooley, an individual’s self (their identity or perception thereof) is conditioned by the perception said individual has of how the people around see him/her (Rahim, 2010). This concept, named the Looking-Glass Self, is explanatory of feelings of rejection, non-belonging, low self-esteem and marginalization young people who don’t fit socially in school may feel. These feelings can push youngsters towards ideologies and groups which specifically target their vulnerabilities and provide for perceived answers to their quest for meanings and feelings of community, group and kinship, thus reversing the effect of the Looking Glass-Self. It is therefore fundamental that schools turn into positive environments, able to provide community and meaning. The school and/or the classroom should be a resilient community, encouraging individuals to become resilient.

A resilient community can be defined as a group whose characteristics help prevent its members from engaging in extremism leading to violence. The concept of the resilient community focuses on the idea that strong relationships and feelings of belonging reduce individual vulnerability to violent extremist propaganda (Stephens et al., 2019). Teachers have the potential to ensure that their classrooms – and the school in general – become resilient communities instead of hotbeds for marginalization and vulnerability. In order to do so, they should make sure that the classroom is a safe space, where all students feel accepted and listened to. Teachers should encourage their students to exercise emotional intelligence and empathy by addressing existing conflicts and improving the quality of relationships, and to engage in open dialogue. No topic should be taboo, and everyone should be encouraged to actively participate.

In this respect, critical thinking is a fundamental skill students need in order to learn how to build their own opinions, build arguments and challenge stereotypes. Employing critical thinking in dialogue ensures that students who have outlying opinions or backgrounds are ostracized for who they are, but meet with intellectual challenges to their opinions, rather than exclusion for who they are. This mechanism has the potential for reversing the effect of the Looking-Glass Self, with students feeling that their voice is listened to and that they are not the victims of labeling and stereotyping, but full-fledged members of a community of dialogue.