Page 10 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 5-6: Radicalization, Violent Extremism and Conflicting Diversity, eds. Mitja Sardoč and Tomaž Deželan
P. 10
šolsko polje, letnik xxix, številka 5–6
at the role education should play in the tackling of radicalization and vi-
olent extremism. Based on the analysis of the key distinctions associated
with radicalization and violent extremism, Kosta Bovan, Marko Kovačić
and Milica Vučković present the findings of their research on ‘how the
terms “radical” and “mainstream” are understood by Croatian youth’ as
well as how young people in Croatia conceptualise radicalism as a relative,
neutral, and context-dependent term. The article by Iztok Prezelj, Klemen
Kocjančič and Urša Marinšek discusses the process of Islamist radicalisa-
tion at the conceptual level as well as ‘the fight for the hearts and minds
of the population’ strategy that has gained considerable leverage in discus-
sions over radicalization. Ultimately, as the authors emphasize, their ar-
ticle also ‘proposes some ideas of how to fight Islamist radicalisation in
public schools’. In his article ‘Factors of Radicalization’, Srečo Dragoš ad-
dresses the various uses of the term radicalization through the concept of
a “cage” made of four dimensions. As he emphasizes, ‘[r]adicalisation is
defined by the coincidence of unfavourable combinations of these dimen-
sions, which is why it is difficult to understand it, if it is reduced only to
one level and qualified more as a reason than as an effect’. The second part
of his paper ‘gives some examples on the influence of the social context on
the phenomenon of radicalism, with a special emphasis on the Slovenian
example’. The final article to this special issue ‘Radical Hate Speech and
Islamophobia: The Fascination with Hitler and Fascism on the Slovenian
Webosphere’ by Boris Vezjak examines cases of radical hate speech posted
on Slovenian social networks during the development of the refugee crisis
in Europe and Slovenia beginning in 2015.
Alongside the focus on problems and challenges associated with the
‘standard’ interpretation [the ‘security paradigm’], this journal special is-
sue aims to address also other contextual, definitional and conceptual is-
sues as the relationship between radicalisation, violent extremism and
conflicting diversity is anything but unambiguous or unproblematic.
References
Baker-Beall, C. Heath-Kelly, C., Jarvis, L. [eds.] (2014) Counter-
Radicalisation: Critical Perspectives. London: Routledge.
Bartlett, J. & Miller, C. (2012) The Edge of Violence: Towards Telling
the Difference Between Violent and Non-Violent Radicalization,
Terrorism and Political Violence 24(1), pp. 1–21.
Egnell, R. (2010) Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’? A Critical Analysis of
Counter-Insurgency Operations in Afghanistan, Civil Wars 12(3), pp.
282–303.
8
at the role education should play in the tackling of radicalization and vi-
olent extremism. Based on the analysis of the key distinctions associated
with radicalization and violent extremism, Kosta Bovan, Marko Kovačić
and Milica Vučković present the findings of their research on ‘how the
terms “radical” and “mainstream” are understood by Croatian youth’ as
well as how young people in Croatia conceptualise radicalism as a relative,
neutral, and context-dependent term. The article by Iztok Prezelj, Klemen
Kocjančič and Urša Marinšek discusses the process of Islamist radicalisa-
tion at the conceptual level as well as ‘the fight for the hearts and minds
of the population’ strategy that has gained considerable leverage in discus-
sions over radicalization. Ultimately, as the authors emphasize, their ar-
ticle also ‘proposes some ideas of how to fight Islamist radicalisation in
public schools’. In his article ‘Factors of Radicalization’, Srečo Dragoš ad-
dresses the various uses of the term radicalization through the concept of
a “cage” made of four dimensions. As he emphasizes, ‘[r]adicalisation is
defined by the coincidence of unfavourable combinations of these dimen-
sions, which is why it is difficult to understand it, if it is reduced only to
one level and qualified more as a reason than as an effect’. The second part
of his paper ‘gives some examples on the influence of the social context on
the phenomenon of radicalism, with a special emphasis on the Slovenian
example’. The final article to this special issue ‘Radical Hate Speech and
Islamophobia: The Fascination with Hitler and Fascism on the Slovenian
Webosphere’ by Boris Vezjak examines cases of radical hate speech posted
on Slovenian social networks during the development of the refugee crisis
in Europe and Slovenia beginning in 2015.
Alongside the focus on problems and challenges associated with the
‘standard’ interpretation [the ‘security paradigm’], this journal special is-
sue aims to address also other contextual, definitional and conceptual is-
sues as the relationship between radicalisation, violent extremism and
conflicting diversity is anything but unambiguous or unproblematic.
References
Baker-Beall, C. Heath-Kelly, C., Jarvis, L. [eds.] (2014) Counter-
Radicalisation: Critical Perspectives. London: Routledge.
Bartlett, J. & Miller, C. (2012) The Edge of Violence: Towards Telling
the Difference Between Violent and Non-Violent Radicalization,
Terrorism and Political Violence 24(1), pp. 1–21.
Egnell, R. (2010) Winning ‘Hearts and Minds’? A Critical Analysis of
Counter-Insurgency Operations in Afghanistan, Civil Wars 12(3), pp.
282–303.
8
