Responding to the Threat of Violent Extremism: Failing to Prevent

Description

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. How should we understand home-grown terrorism like the 7/7 London bombings? This is a classic monograph focusing on recent British attempts to 'prevent violent extremism', their problems and limitations, and what lessons this can offer for more effective policy approaches in future. Paul Thomas's extensive research suggests that the Prevent policy approaches, and the wider CONTEST counter-terrorism strategy, have been misguided and ineffective, further alienating British Muslim communities instead of supporting longer-term integration. He argues that new, cohesion-based approaches encouraging greater trust and integration across all communities represent the best defence against terrorism.

Paul Thomas is Reader in Youth and Education at the School of Education and Professional Development, University of Huddersfield, UK.

Paul Thomas writes in an accessible and persuasive manner, with arguments expertly and attractively presented. The topic itself is of utmost policy significance. This book fills a gap in a field marked by a lack of serious, research-based treatments. -- Vivien Lowndes, Professor of Public Policy, University of Nottingham, UK This book provides a clearly written and confidently argued account of mainly British debates over how to respond to violent extremism. It draws on some new research evidence and makes a valuable contribution to our knowledge and understanding of this topic... with much insight and a wealth of detail informed by a strong critical voice. * Ian Law, Professor and Director, CERS - Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, UK * The book offers a useful and detailed discussion of the myriad of issues relating to this subject and succeeds in ploughing a focussed furrow through what is a potentially mammoth and controversial subject. Clear signposting and useful chapter summaries makes this a useful reference book. -- Diane Frost, Department of Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology, University of Liverpool, UK The book provides an informative and readable account of the development and implementation of the Prevent strategy, that serves a readership interested in state approaches to 'soft-security' well by providing a clear overview of the history of Prevent and engaging extensively with very recent changes under the present Coalition government. ... The book will be a very useful addition to the fields of state-Muslim relations, the governance of ethnic and religious diversity, counter-terrorism and politics of race, ethnicity and religion. -- Therese O'Toole, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Bristol, UK