The Many Faces of Extremism

To remember

• Extremism = many forms always existed
• political & social extremism > multiple forms of political extremism including totalitarian regimes + rampaging military + extreme ethno-nationalism <= including cultural & structural violence against “the other” + anti-democratic force + authoritarianism + rejecting pluralism + against minorities
• social extremism – social phenomena of exclusion and/or domination of others – exclusion of others > sexism & racism => homophobia or xenophobia
• political extremism – discrimination > other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, religion or belief
• sexism > often deeply rooted in many societies
• racism
• religious extremism > sectarian groups follow a more particular reading of sacred texts => tension with rest of society > high degree of control of their followers
• very strong opinions
• activities far removed from the ordinary
• not respect dignity of the other or honour their humanity
• acceptance of labeling by certain groups
• radical – marginalized > radicalisation > fundamentalism
• different value systems held by the observers
• try to shift public opinion
• extremists use public actions to draw attention to their cause
• historical & current political context > determines political perceptions
• not necessarily violent
• singular thinking + narrow opinion development, potentially leading to hatred + violence
• violent strategy usually alienates potential allies
• internet = place to trump the other > aggressive interaction => fragmented societies
• right-wing parties = anti-system ideology + their narratives directed against current political culture, mixed with ethno-nationalist perspectives + racist attitudes. => issue of immigration high on the agenda
• violent extremism= errorism > strategies + tactics reflecting power imbalance related to intended target
• =/= deep-seated and irrational hatred > terrorist attacks >> based on rational + cold-blooded decision to attack other group => counter-attacks => collateral damage
• seven drivers of violent extremism
  1) denial of basic rights & civil liberties;
  2) harsh & brutal rule including gross violations of human rights;
  3) widespread corruption (perception of impunity for elite);
  4) bad governance & ungoverned areas;
  5) protracted, violent local conflicts;
  6) repressive regimes perceived as illegitimate;
  7) some extremist groups got support from the state but now lost control
• deradicalisation = demanding a cognitive shift
• disillusionment with the movement => questioning ideology
• constant negativity about outside world (linked with missing sense of spirituality) => causes people to become stressed + disillusioned with violent extremist group
• disengagement = behavioural change including leaving a group or changing one’s role within it
• social + economic benefits experienced when one disengages + eventually deradicalises
• clerics or former combatants = critical actors in the deradicalisation process
• Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR)
• ideas of restorative justice> victim-centered approach > holds accountable former extremists, expecting their acknowledgement of crimes committed & challenging them to take responsibility for wrong done to others =>personal transformation > integration into community + some form of reparation => healing with the other + own community
• critical action > 1. respect, 2. thinking, 3. values

 

+

Preceding

1. 19th and 20th Century Shifts in bourgeoisie
2. Walls,colours, multiculturalism, money to flow, Carson, Trump and consorts
3. When so desperate to hold onto power
4. American social perception, classes and fear mongering
5. A president daring to use the Bible for underlining his hate speech
6. 2020 in view #1 The 45th president of the U.S.A.
7. From a land where the people have to give their vote
8. Hungarian undermining of European freedoms
9. What is Fascism and who are today’s Fascists?
10. Fascist populism and the threat to democracy
11. Populism endangering democracy
12. Undermining security and democracy via the Internet
13. Putin adressing tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters at Moscow’s main football stadium
14. Significant results of investigations concerning election preference in the UK

++

Additional reading

1. A last note concerning civil rights
2. Do Al-Qaeda, Islamic State, ISIS and ISIL belong to true Islam
3. Extremist
4. You might be an extrimist if …
5. Tears for Belgium
6. Our stance against certain religions and immigrating people
7. The 17th annual White Privilege Conference a militantly Christophobic conference held in Philadelphia
8. Looking at 2021 in a nutshell
9. Germany wanting to do something against racism
10. The focus of multiculturalism in Europe on Muslims and Jews
11. Rising euro-skepticism must be a wake-up call for Europe
12. Christian nationalism is shaping a Pennsylvania primary — and a GOP shift
13. Is Trumpism This Generation’s Version of the Confederacy?
14. The MAGAs and the Man
15. The Guardian’s view on the world 5th week of May 2022
16. Stories the Week brought to you from 2022 June 02 – June 08
17. Our selection of Things you need to know The Week: July 18 – July 24
18. The first week of August 2022 as seen by the New York Times
19. The Guardian looking at the second week of August 2022
20. This is Europe in the 2nd week of August

+++

Related

1. on “Death” and on “Gita”(Indian media neglecting Orrisa violence and bajrang dal)
2. Desperately Seeking: Protection from Religion of Peace
3. Truth Wars
4. Mythic Past Indeed!
5. The Second Danger: A Warning from the Fatherland Front
6. Hidden Agendas and Who From the Puritanical Fascist Crowd Has and Maintains Them like Watergate Burglars?
7. To Taboo Or Not To
8. The ‘patriotism leads to fascism’ lie
9. The Vintages of Stormfront
10. Rural Right Wing?
11. Liberafascism
12. Kali Akuno: Organizing for revolution, not crisis avoidance
13. Never Forget
14. Growing A Fascist Crystal
15. At Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung’s 10th anniversary conference: Current struggles and future prospects for the left in a time of right-wing resurgence / by André Frappier
16. The Enemy Of The People
17. ‘Morbid Symptoms’ in Germany
18. Stupid or Psyop? Normalising Nazis
19. Violence and the MAGA/Trump Movement: A Reassessment
20. Crimes and unrest
21. A note on the Fitnah of the “Online Jihadists”
22. Idiots Guide To How Not To Die While Debating, “Sensitive Extremists”
23. Four ways businesses can help to build peace
24. Domestic terrorism in Pakistan
25. European Armies to Fight The Danger Within
26. Iraqi Christians ‘living in fear’
27. Muslim and ‘Je SUIS Charlie’…
28. “There is no compulsion in religion…” (2:256)
29. We all want peace…

Johannes Langer

Extremism has always existed although it is since the 9/11 attacks that many people around the world began to fear it. As extremism is a complex phenomenon, scholars and policy makers have significant differences as to what extremism is and is not. Desmond Tutu defined extremism this way: “when you do not allow for a different point of view; when you hold your own views as being quite exclusive, when you don’t allow for the possibility of difference” [1].

View original post 4,376 more words