How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland
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 persp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/12/420 |
| _version_ | 1818277252488495104 |
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| author | Pia-Maria Niemi Saija Benjamin Arniika Kuusisto Liam Gearon |
| author_facet | Pia-Maria Niemi Saija Benjamin Arniika Kuusisto Liam Gearon |
| author_sort | Pia-Maria Niemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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’. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:58:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0251d63cc82e47c6bea517cb69cda338 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:58:35Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-0251d63cc82e47c6bea517cb69cda3382022-12-22T00:08:53ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442018-12-0191242010.3390/rel9120420rel9120420How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in FinlandPia-Maria Niemi0Saija Benjamin1Arniika Kuusisto2Liam Gearon3Department of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Siltavuorenpenger 3A, PO 9, 00014 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Siltavuorenpenger 3A, PO 9, 00014 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, Siltavuorenpenger 3A, PO 9, 00014 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Education, University of Oxford, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford OX2 6PY, UKThe 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’.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/12/420religionsecuritynationalismpolitical violence |
| spellingShingle | Pia-Maria Niemi Saija Benjamin Arniika Kuusisto Liam Gearon How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland Religions religion security nationalism political violence |
| title | How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland |
| title_full | How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland |
| title_fullStr | How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland |
| title_full_unstemmed | How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland |
| title_short | How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland |
| title_sort | how and why education counters ideological extremism in finland |
| topic | religion security nationalism political violence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/12/420 |
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