According to police and intelligence agencies, as many as 100 Danes may be fighting for ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Denmark, which has produced more fighters per head of population since 2012 than any other western European country except Belgium, has been at the forefront of exploring new models for preventing extremism. According to ICSR 2015’s Report, 27 per 1 million Danish citizens have gone to fight in Iraq and Syria. As growing numbers of young Muslims travel from Scandinavian countries to join jihadi groups abroad, the debate on how to counter radicalization is becoming more urgent.
On this Study Tour, we explore the question of why Denmark has produced such a high percentage of Jihadist fighters and what initiatives are in place in Aarhus to prevent this development.
While on tour, we focus on the prevention of radicalization and extremism among youngsters. We also focus on the depiction of ethnic minorities in media and the consequences for these same minorities in their everyday lives.
As part of our work, we meet with key decision makers in the anti-radicalization efforts as well as sharp end counter-terrorism representatives.
Tour Objectives
- Put terrorism and counter-terrorism into a Danish perspective through the use of both history and the present day urban environment
- Eplore the concept of radicalization and extremism, leading potentially to terrorism, in Denmark
- Get insights to elements of integration and non-integration - understand how it works and the limitations
- Provide access to researchers, military, municipality employees, and others engaged in the wide field of anti-radicalization work and sharp end counter-terrorism
- Explore the relationships between the authorities and youngsters that are potentially at risk of being radicalized
Possible Activities
- Meet with a faculty member at Aarhus University that specializes in right-wing extremism and radicalization in Denmark
- Hear from key representatives of the media and discuss the media’s influence on depictions of terrorism and radicalization
- Visit Grimhøjvej Mosque; representatives of the Danish Security Forces; and Bazaar Vest, a commercial small entrepreneur integration project in Aarhus