Religion as harm: Radicalisation, extremism and child protection
Protecting children from terrorism and violent extremism is a vital and increasing facet of child protection. Controversial government policy identifies radicalisation, including non-violent belief, as an important driver of violent action. The courts are increasingly faced with radicalisation cases...
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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Jordan Publishing
2018
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| Summary: | Protecting children from terrorism and violent extremism is a vital and increasing facet of child protection. Controversial government policy identifies radicalisation, including non-violent belief, as an important driver of violent action. The courts are increasingly faced with radicalisation cases, including the question of whether belief can constitute harm. The courts should resist drawing on controversial counter-terrorism policy to define harm to children. The language of radicalisation and extremism is too vague, over-broad and unstable to define harm in this intrusive area of the law. Well-established conventional child protection principles are best able to accommodate this new 'facet of vulnerability' and to preserve the neutrality of the courts and their focus on the child. |
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