Gender, Religion, Extremism: Finding Women in Anti-Radicalization (Oxford Studies in Gender and International Relations)

This volume offers a feminist critique of counter- and deradicalization programs, including those under the umbrella of “preventing and countering violent extremism.” Based on insights from five countries and examples from elsewhere, the book shows how, collectively, efforts rely on particular narratives of agency, security, and human rights. Putting gender at the center of the analysis reveals significant limitations in antiradicalization work—in construction, operation, and evaluation. First, these programs fail to explore or engage with how masculinity and femininity inform the radicalization process. As a result, they cannot successfully understand the personal drivers or the sociopolitical environment of these programs. Second, within the operations of these programs male radicalization is clearly and unreflectively linked to an excessive but flawed masculinity, while ideas about women’s radicalization depend on orientalist stereotypes about passivity and subjugation. Solutions for male deradicalization therefore hinge on particular ideals of masculinity that few men can obtain, and deradicalizing women is seen as a rescue mission. Third, the impact of these programs derives from a racialized paternalist logic that justifies intervention in “ordinary lives” in the name of security, yet fails to deliver. There is a gendered differential in the impact of counter-radicalization measures. Although the rhetoric of countering terrorism is often couched in a narrative of “women’s rights” and “liberal values,” the book demonstrates that the consequences are often detrimental to these precepts. The book concludes by offering an alternative way of thinking about and implementing antiradicalization efforts, rooted in a feminist peace. Radicalization, and the terrorism that is frequently linked to it, have been subject to much study and governmental intervention. Nevertheless, the processes that lead to radicalization remain thinly conceptualized although governments and their agencies worldwide have invested heavily in counter and de-radicalization programs. There are at least 34 anti-radicalization programs worldwide, most of which were initiated post-2001, with a focus on Muslims and Muslim communities. These policies and programs have led to interventions in the daily lives of thousands, often in ways that push the boundaries of human rights law and norms. However, the effectiveness of these programs is unclear.This book compares anti-radicalization programs that target Islamic extremism in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Pakistan. It looks particularly at the ways in which the program tactics differ depending on the gender of the target, arguing that the gendered way in which anti-radicalization is pursued helps to reveal its limitations. These programs fail to take into account how masculinity and femininity inform the radicalization process. Moreover, the programs tend to link men's radicalization to excessive, but flawed, masculinity, and women's radicalization to passivity, which consequentially limits understandings of the various modes of belief, belonging, and behavior of those they are trying to engage. Solutions for male de-radicalization hinge on particular ideals of masculinity that few men can obtain, while the de-radicalization of women is seen as a rescue mission. Although the rhetoric of battling terrorism is often couched in a narrative of "women's rights" and "liberal values", the book demonstrates that the consequences of the programs often run counter to such ideals.The book's findings are applicable not just to de-radicalization programs, but also to broader counter-radicalization agendas that address resilience and community engagement. The book also highlights the way in which anti-radicalization measures hew to or differ from older programs addressing right-wing extremism, anti-cult measures, and sectarianism. Ultimately, Gender, Religion, Extremism proposes an alternative way of implementing anti-radicalization efforts that are rooted in a feminist peace--one that is transformative, inclusive, and sustainable. Radicalization, and the terrorism that is frequently linked to it, have been subject to much study and governmental intervention. Nevertheless, the processes that lead to radicalization remain thinly conceptualized although governments and their agencies worldwide have invested heavily in counter and de-radicalization programs. There are at least 34 anti-radicalization programs worldwide, most of which were initiated post-2001, with a focus on Muslims and Muslim communities. These policies and programs have led to interventions in the daily lives of thousands, often in ways that push the boundaries of human rights law and norms. However, the effectiveness of these programs is unclear. This book compares anti-radicalization programs that target Islamic extremism in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Pakistan. It looks particularly at the ways in which the program tactics differ depending on the gender of the target, arguing that the gendered way in which anti-radicalization is pursued helps to reveal its limitations. These programs fail to take into account how masculinity and femininity inform the radicalization process. Moreover, the programs tend to link men's radicalization to excessive, but flawed, masculinity, and women's radicalization to passivity, which consequentially limits understandings of the various modes of belief, belonging, and behavior of those they are trying to engage. Solutions for male de-radicalization hinge on particular ideals of masculinity that few men can obtain, while the de-radicalization of women is seen as a rescue mission. Although the rhetoric of battling terrorism is often couched in a narrative of "women's rights" and "liberal values", the book demonstrates that the consequences of the programs often run counter to such ideals. The book's findings are applicable not just to de-radicalization programs, but also to broader counter-radicalization agendas that address resilience and community engagement. The book also highlights the way in which anti-radicalization measures hew to or differ from older programs addressing right-wing extremism, anti-cult measures, and sectarianism. Ultimately, Gender, Religion, Extremism proposes an alternative way of implementing anti-radicalization efforts that are rooted in a feminist peace--one that is transformative, inclusive, and sustainable. "This volume offers a feminist critique of counter- and deradicalization programmes, including those collected under the umbrella of 'preventing and countering violent extremis'. Based on insights from five countries, and examples from elsewhere, the book shows how collectively efforts rely on particular narratives of agency, security and human rights. Putting gender at the centre of analysis reveals a series of significant limitations in anti-radicalisation work, in construction, operation, and evaluation. First, these programmes fail to explore or engage with how masculinity and femininity inform the radicalisation process. As a result, they cannot successfully understand the personal drivers or the socio-political environment of these programmes. Second, within the operations of these programmes it becomes clear that male radicalisation is unreflectively linked to an excessive but flawed masculinity, whilst ideas about women's radicalisation depend on orientalist stereotypes about passivity and subjugation. Solutions for male deradicalisation therefore hinge on particular ideals of masculinity that few men can obtain, and deradicalising women is seen as a rescue mission. Third, the impact of these programmes derives from a racialized paternalist logic that justifies intervention in 'ordinary lives' in the name of security, yet fails to deliver. There is a gendered differential in the impact of counter-radicalisation measures. Although the rhetoric of countering terrorism is often couched in a narrative of 'women's rights' and 'liberal values', the book demonstrates the consequences are often detrimental to these precepts. The book concludes by offering an alternative way of thinking about and implementing anti-radicalisation efforts, rooted in a feminist peace"-- Provided by publisher Anti-radicalization efforts are a significant part of the War on Terror and influence many parts of our lives. This book examines five countries to demonstrate how the design, implementation, and evaluation of preventing and countering violent extremism programs rely on limited ideas of religion, security, and gender. The programs implicitly and explicitly depend on stereotypes about men and women, and in turn, these biases negatively influence the success of theseprograms and the rights of citizens. Ultimately, the book proposes an alternative way of implementing anti-radicalization efforts that are rooted in a feminist peace--one that is transformative, inclusive, and sustainable This volume offers a feminist critique of counter- and deradicalization programs, including those under the umbrella of 'preventing and countering violent extremism.' Based on insights from five countries and examples from elsewhere, the text shows how, collectively, efforts rely on particular narratives of agency, security, and human rights. Putting gender at the centre of the analysis reveals significant limitations in antiradicalization work-in construction, operation, and evaluation Cover Series Gender, Religion, Extremism Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Acronyms and Abbreviations 1. Gender, Religion, and Radicalization 2. Country Focus and Global Endeavors 3. Groomed and Seduced 4. Moderate Women and Violent Youths 5. Mothers and Wives 6. Fathers and Heroes 7. The Antiradicalization Protection Racket 8. The Limits of Antiradicalization Notes Bibliography Index