Lena Frischlich and Nicole Bögelein’s chapter on extremism prevention published

The danger that terrorism and extremism pose to our societies is well known by now. Preventing people from becoming radicalized is one important goal of extremism prevention.

The chapter that was now published in the handbook on peace psychology (available here), provides an overview of extremism prevention. Based on a processual understanding of radicalization, the authors describe terrorism and extremism as one possible, but not necessary, outcome of a radicalization process.

The interplay of risk and protective factors can result in the occurrence of extremism or terrorism. These factors can be located at different levels (individual, extremist groups, society). Extremism prevention starts at different stages of the radicalization process: Depending on the stage, it attempts to prevent radical worldviews (universal prevention), to avert a turn to extremism and violence (selective prevention), to prevent (renewed) use of violence (indicated prevention), or to promote a turn away from extremist groups or radical worldviews (distancing).

Frischlich and Bögelein present examples of some projects, especially from Germany, and illustrate the chapter with stories of people that are leaving right-wing extremism and Islamist extremism behind. Finally, they evaluate extremism prevention.