Lack of empathy, not Isis, is the thread that links Nice and German train killers

Faced with what is worryingly beginning to feel like continuous terrorist attacks with unfathomable loss of life, much focus has been placed on the age background and motivation of the attackers and their actual connection to ISIS.

However this is not a simple process and we are now learning that attackers don’t fit into a typical profile. As we saw in the Nice and German train attacks, both perpetrators appear to have been mentally unstable and not even necessarily radicalized as such but still wished to act in the name of ISIS.

The presumption that attackers are poor, uneducated and disconnected from society is also not necessarily typical. While we think of terrorism being fostered and taking root in radical religious institutions and the back rooms of covert settings, these events were likely set in motion on a computer or smartphone, the very same that more often keep us connected to those we love.

Additionally, much attention and concern is being expressed in relation to young people with agreement that we need to understand better the connection of vulnerable youth to radicalization and more importantly, how to act to prevent it happening.

Vulnerability to radicalisation

The majority of the world is under age 25 and most of these 3.6 billion people exist in developing regions. We must remain keenly aware that faced with harsh political messages, disease, violence, lack of voice, and extreme poverty, and the temptation to abandon hope is ever-present. Here youth are exponentially more vulnerable to extremist recruitment.

Extremist groups present meticulously crafted narratives that resonate with those who are vulnerable. For example, their ability to categorize a wide range of social, economic, and political events as attacks on ‘Islam’ by the ‘West’ are offered in a steady drumbeat so that it becomes truth to the follower. For example, the Orlando shooter cited the US involvement in Syria as a motivate for his actions.

Emotive issues, such as wars in the Middle East, inflammatory political rhetoric by our own politicians, and the stereotyping of citizens, all have the potential to alienate or stigmatize ordinary people, resulting in making them more vulnerable to extremist propaganda. Even if these grievances are unfounded, the perception that they are real make them real in their consequences.

What can we do to challenge extremist ideologies?

Vital to challenging abusive, violent and antisocial behaviors is the presence, activation, and application of empathy. This essential human attribute may well be the key to thwarting extremist recruitment. Despite this critical importance, few if any, educational programs exist to build empathy among children and youth. In the lead up to, and obviously throughout, the Nice and German train attacks the lack of human connection was evident.

Knowledge about the process of extremism must be used to develop new narratives that are alternatives to extremist messages.

Youth and others providing alternatives to extremism need to work together to provide effective, relevant, and accurate alternative narratives that refute extremist messages. Engaging youth voices and knowledge is essential since they are more likely to be exposed to the mechanisms and processes that facilitate and discourage extremism recruitment.

While the individuals involved in the recent attacks were most likely radicalized online, more often offline or personal entreaties can get the ball rolling, with online reinforcements to seal the deal. It is important to recognize that initial processes of extremism occur offline. Offline processes must be better addressed, particularly within schools, universities and prisons.

It is often the community that is the first line of defense and can provide alternatives to extremism through community development and positive social networks. Expanding youth programmes that foster citizenship; empathy and engagement are incredibly useful. Partnered with broader community development efforts further expands the ability to fight terrorism.

The narratives presented by ISIS and others are polished, and carefully orchestrated for maximum visual, emotional and cultural impacts. Alternately most counter-extremism responses are stale, antiquated, and largely fail to provide a clear alternative message. Response times are short. Reaching individuals seeking to connect to extremist websites with immediate alternative options at the time of first contact, potentially connecting them immediately to “recovered” role models is critical.

The temptation exists to censor, filter and block online content as a means of eliminating extremist messages. However, such negative measures have been proven to be ineffective. Censoring only tackles the symptoms rather than the causes of radicalization and are easily evaded.

Recent tragedies opens the window for radical ideologies to come in. However, when youth and others are engaged citizens, extraordinary things happen that neutralise the extremist voices. As such, we all have a role to play in ensuring stable, secure, civil and just societies. And finally Ireland should not see itself as being immune we live in a global society so these messages have resonance for all now and into the future!

Pat Dolan is UNESCO Chair, National University of Ireland, Galway. Mark Brennan is UNESCO Chair, Penn State University. They are coauthors of a recently commissioned UNESCO White Paper entitled ‘Youth Led Pathways From Extremism’