How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland

Bibliographic Data

ID3512941
AuthorsPia-Maria Niemi (0000-0001-7235-7306, University of Helsinki, corresponding author), Saija Benjamin (0000-0002-0674-5113, University of Helsinki), Arniika Kuusisto (0000-0002-6085-576X, University of Helsinki), Liam Gearon (0000-0002-9381-0103, University of Oxford)
Year2018
Volume9
Issue12
Pages420
Publication date2018-12-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel9120420
OpenAlexW2903583107
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited39

The intensification of radical and extremist thinking has become an international cause of concern and the fear related to terrorism has increased worldwide. Early 21st century public discourses have been correspondingly marked by hate speech and ideological propaganda spread from a variety of perspectives through the intensified presence of global social media networks. In many countries, governments have reacted to these perceived and actual threats by drafting policies and preventive programs and legal-security interventions to tackle radicalization, terrorism itself, as well as ideological extremism. Many of the current strategies point to the critical role of societal education. As a result, educational institutions have gained growing importance as platforms for different kinds of prevention protocols or counter-terrorism strategies. However, notably less attention has been paid on the consistencies of values between the aims of the educational strategies for preventing or countering ideological extremism and the core functions of education in fostering individual and societal well-being and growth. Using Finnish education as a case, this paper discusses the challenges and possibilities related to educational institutions as spaces for preventing violent extremism, with special regard to the religious and nationalistic ideologies that divert from those inherent in the national hegemony. This study highlights the need to plan counter-terrorism strategies in line with national educational policies through what we conceptualize as 'institutional habitus

Hegemony · Ideology · National security · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Radicalization · Sociology · Terrorism · Islamic Studies and Radicalism · Law · Public Administration · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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