Counter-radicalisation in the classroom (2021)

Insights from eight grass-roots projects in Council of Europe member states to address the challenges of policies to counter-radicalisation in education 

This report offers an assessment of the effects of counter-radicalisation policies in the education sector, through the empirical analysis of eight grass-roots projects located in schools across the member states of the Council of Europe (Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Norway and the United Kingdom). It provides a detailed insight into how such policies are experienced in practice. The report covers three main areas. First, it offers an analysis of the legislative and political context that led to the development of counter-radicalisation policies, as well as their contestation. Second, based on qualitative interviews and focus groups with project leaders, students, teachers, educators and school managers, it provides a detailed account of the very heterogeneous type of practices encapsulated by the term “counter-radicalisation”. Finally, it shows that while some practices are in line with principles of human rights education and education for democratic citizenship, others risk undermining fundamental rights and the autonomy of education. The report concludes with some key recommendations to the Council of Europe on how to overcome these challenges.