Recognizing youth radicalization in schools: Slovenian ‘frontline’ school workers in search of a compass

Abstract

International research shows that youth is one of the groups that are the most vulnerable and most susceptible to radicalization. Some of the research findings show school workers’ lack of academic knowledge and practical experience with radicalized youth. As a result, they correlate general criminality with radicalization. The purpose of this study was to identify school workers’ readiness for detecting radicalization and taking preventive measures before the youth step on the path of radicalization. The authors applied a qualitative approach and conducted interviews and focus groups with 23 experts from the Slovenian educational system (i.e. top-down from the ministerial level and bottom-up from the primary and secondary school level). The results revealed that school workers can recognize vulnerable youth and are equipped with the appropriate knowledge and experience in terms of how to respond to different types of violence, but not radicalization. Even the elements that could be recognized as first steps in the radicalization process are reduced to deviant behaviour or simply peer violence. Bearing in mind this critical finding, school workers nevertheless are able to recognize certain types of deviant behaviour and know how to address them. By recognizing the problem and taking appropriate action, school workers can actually (unintentionally) prevent the continuation of the radicalization process.