Parental reaction towards radicalization in young people

Abstract

This paper focuses on radicalization from a parenting perspective; we propose an approach that sees radicalization as a possibility in adolescent development, and as part of the interaction with the adolescent's social environment and socialization. The aim of the study is to discover how parents react when their adolescent develops extreme ideals. Using 55 in‐depth interviews with young people who have extreme ideals and their parents, the parental reactions towards these ideals are explored. Subsequently, the reactions are categorized according to two dimensions (control and support). This study shows how parents struggle when confronted with radicalization and shift to less demanding responses due to powerlessness, dissociation and parental uncertainty.

Parents’ Perspectives on Radicalization: A Qualitative Study

“…Moreover, when their children go through a transition in moving from adolescence to adulthood, parents seem to struggle to guide them through this transition. Parents need information about different kinds of extreme ideology, the process of radicalization, how to respond to radicalization, and how to guide their children’s identity development and transition to adulthood (Sikkens et al 2017 ). Also, the forces that influence young people are often too big and complex for parents to counter alone.…”

“…Sikkens et al ( 2017 ) focused on the reactions of parents when they were confronted with radicalization. They found that parents’ reactions to extreme ideology often changed as their children became radical.…”

Practicing democracy in the playground: turning political conflict into educational friction

“…In 2016, the Ministers of Education of all EU countries signed a declaration in which they stated that pluralism and non-discrimination should be part of all European education (European Commission, 2016). This declaration responded to worries after the November 2015 Paris attacks on the Charlie Hebdo editorial office when teachers and parents had difficulty reacting to pupils who showed intolerance, express radical opinions, or even began to cheer (Awan et al, 2019;Bertram-Troost & Miedema, 2017;Clycq et al, 2019;James & Janmaat, 2019;Sikkens et al, 2016). In answer to such serious concerns about social cohesion, integration, and the political participation of young people, a body of research arose around the explication of and need for citizenship education.…”

The School as a Playground for Educational Friction

“…This declaration responded to worries after the November 2015 Paris attacks on the Charlie Hebdo editorial office when teachers and parents had difficulty reacting to pupils who showed intolerance, express radical opinions, or even began to cheer (Sikkens, Sieckelink, San et al, 2016;Bertram-Troost & Miedema, 2017;Awan, Spiller and Whiting, 2019;James & Janmaat, 2019;Clycq, Timmerman, Vanheule et al, 2019). In answer to such serious concerns about social cohesion, integration, and the political participation of young people, a body of research arose around the explication of and need for citizenship education.…”

“…On the contrary, it is inherent to the process of civic learning and living together in a liberal and plural democracy (Biesta, 2011;Lozano Parra & Wansink,in press;Merry, 2020;Mouffe, 2005;Ruitenberg, 2008). However, research shows that teachers tend to evade sensitive topics and political driven subjects that cause friction, often out of fear for consequences in the classroom (Wansink et al, 2018;Awan et al, 2019;James & Janmaat, 2019;Clycq et al, 2019;Sikkens et al, 2016;Bertram-Troost & Miedema, 2017).…”