Disarming Youth Combatants

Mitigating Youth Radicalization and Violent Extremism

Bibliographic Data

ID12980888
AuthorsAlpaslan Ozerdem (0000-0001-5931-9532, Coventry University, corresponding author), Sukanya Podder (0000-0002-6322-3346, Coventry University)
Year2011
Volume4
Issue4
Pages63-80
Publication date2011-12-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Strategic Security (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1944-0464 • E-ISSN: 1944-0472
PublisherUniversity of South Florida Libraries (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5038/1944-0472.4.4.3
OpenAlexW1996399933
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited10

In the complex of motivating variables that define the push and pull factors behind recruitment and participation in civil conflict, "radicalization"—or "violent extremism"—is not conceived as a very strong motive, as is the case with studies on terrorism. As part of disarming youth combatants,the linkages between reintegration outcomes and possible rerecruitment into radical and extremist violence must be better understood to mitigate such risks. In our analysis, the policies guiding reintegration of child soldiers and youth should be better attuned to the relationship between recruitment motivations and reintegration outcomes, and must be approached from a political lens rather than a purely technical one. The risk of radicalization and involvement in violent extremism is ultimately a structural challenge, which needs to address root causes of recruitment rather than trying to find a solution through a band-aid approach of stopgap reintegration assistance

Criminology · Political science · Political violence · Politics · Radicalization · Terrorism · Violent extremism · Law · Migration, Health and Trauma · Political Conflict and Governance · Psychology · Social Psychology · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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