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The idea that the expression of radical beliefs is a predictor to future acts of political violence has been a central tenet of counter-extremism over the last two decades. Not only has this imposed a duty upon doctors, lecturers and teachers to inform on the radical beliefs of their patients and students but, as this book argues, it is also a fundamentally flawed concept. Informed by his own experience with the UK's
Prevent programme while teaching in a Muslim community, Rob Faure Walker explores the linguistic emergence of 'extremism' in political discourse and the potentially damaging generative effect of this language.
Taking a new approach which combines critical discourse analysis with critical realism, this book shows how the fear of being labelled as an 'extremist' has resulted in counter-terrorism strategies which actually undermine moderating mechanisms in a democracy. Analysing the generative mechanisms by which the language of counter-extremism might actually promote violence, Faure Walker explains how understanding the potentially oppressive properties of language can help us transcend them. The result is an imminent critique of the most pernicious aspects of the global War on Terror, those that are embedded in our everyday language and political discourse. Drawing on the author's own successful lobbying activities against counter-extremism, this book presents a model for how discourse analysis and critical realism can and should engage with the political and how this will affect meaningful change.
List of contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Part I: Actual 1. Counter-Terrorism in the Classroom
2. Terrorism Studies
Part II: Empirical 3. The Language of Counter-Extremism
4. The Emergence of 'Extremism'
5. The Emergence of 'Radicalisation'
Part III: The Real 6. What Caused the emergence of 'Extremism'
7. Challenging the Violence of Counter-Extremism
8. The Crisis of 'Extremism'
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Rob Faure Walker is Senior Researcher in the Corridors of Power project at SOAS, University of London, UK. He holds a PhD from IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK and was a secondary school teacher.
Summary
The idea that the expression of radical beliefs is a predictor to future acts of political violence has been a central tenet of counter-extremism over the last two decades. Not only has this imposed a duty upon doctors, lecturers and teachers to inform on the radical beliefs of their patients and students but, as this book argues, it is also a fundamentally flawed concept. Informed by his own experience with the UK's Prevent programme while teaching in a Muslim community, Rob Faure Walker explores the linguistic emergence of 'extremism' in political discourse and the potentially damaging generative effect of this language.
Taking a new approach which combines critical discourse analysis with critical realism, this book shows how the fear of being labelled as an 'extremist' has resulted in counter-terrorism strategies which actually undermine moderating mechanisms in a democracy. Analysing the generative mechanisms by which the language of counter-extremism might actually promote violence, Faure Walker explains how understanding the potentially oppressive properties of language can help us transcend them. The result is an imminent critique of the most pernicious aspects of the global War on Terror, those that are embedded in our everyday language and political discourse. Drawing on the author’s own successful lobbying activities against counter-extremism, this book presents a model for how discourse analysis and critical realism can and should engage with the political and how this will affect meaningful change.
Foreword
Draws on real life experience to explain how the language of counter-extremism might actually promote violence and how this can be transcended.
Additional text
Faure Walker is one of the most important critical voices on the UK government’s Prevent strategy countering non-violent extremism. He offers a powerful exploration of the discourse of extremism and its negative effects. These are primarily experienced by British Muslims, but are beginning to enmesh wider populations in their damage to democracy and public life. It is necessary and salutary reading.
