THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands
but in seeing with new eyes.”
Marcel Proust, French novelist and critic
1871-1922
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www.got.uk.net
Valuing diversity and promoting cohesion through 11 – 25 education
programmes and dedicated youth, community and adult workshops
RESILIENT PEOPLE, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES
COPTHORNE HOTEL, CARDIFF
SESSION TITLE: COMMUNITIES RESILIENT AGAINST EXTREMISM
AIM
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To look at the role of housing providers and equality-related 3
organisations in helping to prevent and tackle extremism within
their communities
Objectives:
1.
To look at prejudice and discrimination in relation to extremism and
practical examples of the Cardiff Prevent processes, which will enable
delegates to have a better idea of their own role in creating
communities resilient against extremism.
(This workshop will look at how housing providers can work with communities
to prevent extremism from taking root and the role of organisations in
helping to promote safe, inclusive and cohesive communities)
2.
To look at what extremism is, and the causes behind it, considering
issues such as community cohesion and the context in which it can
break down.
(How can the sector ensure that we support staff and service users and what
more we can we be doing to balance out the clear inequities which still exist in
our society?)
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We achieve these objectives in large part through :
• Knowing ourselves
• Using common understandings and definitions
• Ensuring grievances do not arise through unfair practices
deriving from prejudice and discrimination
• Implementing policies and practices through having a better
understanding of our society
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Definitions:
• (A) Extremism - The GOT Project:
Holding extremist views and feelings means that whatever your
colour, creed or religion you view people or events with a closed,
fixed and intolerant attitude. (These views and feelings however,
can change and become less extreme).
At worst, you will continue to express hatred and violence to
others.
• (B) Extremism - The Prevent Strategy:
…. is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values,
including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual
respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also
include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of
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members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.
• (C) Community cohesion
“'Community cohesion' is a term that has been given to describe
how people who live and work in the same place get along. It is
about looking at the common values that keep us all together.”
(Welsh Government)
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(D) Radicalisation, counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation
• Counter-radicalisation can be defined as interventions designed to
prevent people from coming to adopt extremist perspectives, whereas
in contrast, de-radicalisation is more explicitly concerned with altering
the ideas and beliefs of those whose views are already ‘extreme’. On
this basis, throughout this study radicalisation is understood as the
process through which peoples’ ideas and beliefs are influenced
and altered to become notably more extreme than they were
previously.
• In relation to the particular problem of Islamist violent extremism
that is a central focus for this report, it is notable that whilst the notion
of violent extremism has rapidly become established within the lexicon
of policy-makers and practitioners, this has occurred despite rather
than because of there (not) being a clear definition that is widely
accepted about what the core ingredients for this type of
extremism are.
(Professor Martin Innes and Dr Nicola Weston (2009). Community
tensions and cohesion amongst young people in Cardiff. Cardiff
University, 9)
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(E) Prejudice, discrimination, (alternative) extremist, intolerance
• Are we prejudiced?
The definition of prejudice provided by Gordon Allport* 60 years ago
is still used as an authoritative definition of the term prejudice: (*1897
– 1967)
“Aversive or hostile attitude toward a person who belongs to a group,
simply because he belongs to that group, and is therefore presumed to
have the objectionable qualities ascribed to that group.”
• Do we discriminate?
Discrimination: Unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of
prejudice.
• Are we extremist?
“The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of9
extremists we will be. ...The nation and the world are in dire need of
creative extremists." -- Martin Luther King, Jr.
cont.
• Are we intolerant?
“What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists is not
that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant.” -- Robert F.
Kennedy
 Intolerance: Unwilling to tolerate differences in opinions,
practices, or beliefs, especially religious beliefs.
 Intolerance: Opposed to the inclusion or participation of those
different from oneself, especially those of a different racial,
ethnic, or social background.
Remember!
• a) “It isn’t what a man thinks he is, it’s what he thinks, he is.”
(Anonymous)
• b) “Every man has three characters – that which he exhibits, that
which he has, and that which he thinks he has.” (Alphonse Karr,
1808-1890)
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(F) Vulnerable
• ‘A vulnerable adult is defined in 'No Secrets' (the Government's Guidance
on Adult Abuse) as: - 'a person aged 18 years or over, who is in receipt of
or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or
other disability, age or illness and who is or may be unable to take care of
him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm
or exploitation'.
• ‘A person or group is vulnerable when support is required to enable or
promote independent living and safe and active participation in the
Community.’
Canterbury City Council
• Within Prevent, the word describes factors and characteristics associated
with being susceptible to radicalisation.
Prevent Strategy, 2011
(G) Resilience (to extremism)
To build the capacity, knowledge and understanding to resist the lure
/pull of extremism and violent extremism in this country or abroad
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Do we have a problem in society? - The Principal Research Tool:
(Questionnaire)
• Post- GOT
• 1 hour duration
• No communication
• No name/seating position/ID of any sort
• Pre- and
“Every man has three characters – that which he
exhibits, that which he has, and that which he thinks
he has.” (Alphonse Karr, 1808-1890)
Eliciting a visceral response – Section A
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Pupil Profile 1: Pre-test; Not religious; Welsh; male
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Section A: (e) = hate; (f) = attack
Picture 2 (e)
They don’t look like they’ve learned our language and they refuse
to take off those damned veils, either follow this countries rules or
get out.
Picture 6 (f)
Muslims are already taking over by leaving him alive I would only
be HELPING in the Muslim uprising.
Picture 8 (f)
I don’t know depending on the time and place I would attack him
and disarm the bomb.
Picture 12 (f)
I don’t think they realise that life is NOT like ninja turtles.
Section B
1. Religion is very important in my life
Strongly disagree
3. In the last two years how often have you been physically or 29
verbally abused because of your colour?
Very often
Pupil Profile 1 cont.
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Section C
1. It is okay to hurt another person if he or she is a foreigner
Agree
2. It is okay to hurt another person if he or she is White
Agree
3. It is okay to hurt another person if he or she is Christian
Agree
4. It is okay to hurt another person if he or she is Black
Agree
5. It is okay to hurt another person if he/she is Muslim
Strongly agree
Section D
• On 7th July 2005 a suicide bomber blew up this bus in London killing a
number of people.
a)I feel that this was a good thing to do
b)I feel that this was a bad thing to do
c)It all depends
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• Answer: c)
Pupil Profile 2: Pre-test; Muslim; Bangladeshi; male
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Section A: (e) = hate; (f) = attack
Picture 5 (f)
Looks like a drug addict
Picture 7(f)
Looks racist, looks like a peadofile
Picture 11 (f)
Looks like a drug addict and a prostitute. She looks like a whore.
Section B
1. Religion is very important in my life
Strongly agree
2. To what extent do you agree that where you live (within 15 to 20
minutes walking distance) is a place where people of different
backgrounds get on well together?
Strongly disagree
3. In the last two years how often have you been physically or
verbally abused because of your colour?
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Very often
• Pupil Profile 2 cont.
• 4. In the last two years how often have you been physically or
verbally abused because of your religion?
Very often
• 5. In the last two years have you verbally abused someone because
of their colour or religion?
• Very often
Section C
• 2. It is okay to hurt another person if he or she is White
Strongly agree
Section D
• 1. On 11th September 2001, two planes flew into the Twin Towers in
New York City killing more than 3,000 people
I feel that this was a good thing to do
• 2. On 7th July 2005 a suicide bomber blew up this bus in London
killing a number of people
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I feel that this was a good thing to do
Do we have a problem? – Core findings
• Do young people hold prejudiced and extreme views?
 39% of all pupils (sample = 300) expressed ‘hate’ or
‘attack’ as a visceral response to the 12 pictures
 24% expressed multiples of ‘hate’ and/or ‘attack’
• Are our young people by and large tolerant or intolerant?
 61% of Muslims reported racial abuse; 25% often (Jordan)
 69% of Muslims reported abuse based on their religion;
30% often. (Jordan)
• What proportion of pupils have the potential to resort to
(violent) extremism?
 Between 2% and 9% of all pupils are ‘at potential risk
of
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radicalisation’. (Innes)
Do we have a problem? – Core findings cont.
• What percentage of principal ethnic/faith groups
represented hold extreme and/or violent views?
 Christian – 26/300
 Muslim – 24/300
 Of whom, female – 24%
 Male – 76%
• Are our communities socially cohesive?
 Range found to be 69% - 86% (Jordan)
(Communities and Local Government Surveys, 2003 and 2005
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established the ‘norm’ to be 80%)
Some pre/post conclusions - Jordan:
• This data would seem to suggest that people wearing
turbans attract very negative responses from substantial
numbers of people in our sample.
• Muslims in the sample were six times more likely to “strongly
disagree” with the assertion that the area in which they live is
socially cohesive.
• The post-test results for the 9/11 question are extremely
strong. They suggest that the GOT approach to combating
Islamic extremism has considerable power.
• These results (61% and 69% of Muslims suffer racial and
religious abuse respectively) should...... be of considerable
concern to educators – certainly to those committed to
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equality of opportunity and tolerance.
• The study suggests that those who think that there is no
serious problem of racial or religious intolerance in Cardiff
or Wales are badly mistaken. The study reveals a complex
pattern of tolerant and intolerant attitudes, feelings, beliefs
and behaviour (Dr. Glenn Jordan, University of Glamorgan)
• Whereas 42% of non-Muslim students say that religion is
very important in their lives, the number for Muslim students
is 99%. (100% in London cohort). This obviously has policy
implications: any properly informed strategy for increasing
social cohesion and diminishing intolerance, hatred and
violence among different groups of students must take such
data into account (ibid)
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• depending upon the threshold for inclusion adopted, we
would suggest that there are between 7 and 28 individuals
whose profile of responses suggest they could be at potential
risk of radicalisation. In the context of the total sample
population, this equates to between 2% and 9%. Importantly
though, it should be clarified that this does not just include
young people from Muslim backgrounds. Potential for a
small number of individuals to join ‘white extremist’ groups
is detected (Professor Martin Innes, Cardiff University)
• On the basis that problematic and worrying traits were
distributed amongst a small number of individuals from
different ethnic and faith backgrounds we would tend to
conclude that the principal need is for a programme that
seeks to support and develop a greater sense of community
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cohesion amongst young people (ibid)
In using teaching, learning and the curriculum to build community
cohesion and resilience to violent extremism, schools can build on
what they already do to:
• help build teachers confidence to handle sensitive and
contentious issues that can arise in lessons
• help learners to develop knowledge of religion, history,
geography, English /Welsh (particularly the critical study of the
media) and analyse current issues of concern
• help learners to develop the skills needed to evaluate effectively
and discuss potentially controversial and sensitive issues
• provide safe spaces for learners to discuss openly issues that
concern them including exploring their own identities and how
these relate to the diversity of the society in which they live
• provide opportunities for learners to understand, meet and
engage with people from different backgrounds in ways which
promote the common values while recognising diversity within
communities
Developing Community Cohesion (2010). WAG, p.39
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Remember!
• The trial found that whereas 42% of non-Muslim
students say that religion is very important in their lives,
the number for Muslim students is 99%. This obviously
has policy implications: any properly informed strategy
for increasing social cohesion and diminishing
intolerance, hatred and violence among different
groups of students must take such data into account. (Dr
Glenn Jordan, University of Glamorgan)
• Professor Lynn Davies of Birmingham University says
that the issue of Islamic extremism will not be defeated
without reference to the distortion of the non-violent
message of the Islamic faith.
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Does GOT ‘work’?
Results and findings from the school intervention:
"GOT can best be described as a kind of inoculation - it won't
stop everyone from catching the disease, but it should prevent
most from being infected."
Professor Martin Innes (2009)
UPSI
Cardiff University
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Final report to Welsh Assembly Government
• The GOT Project provides a powerful model of how a community and
partnership based approach can be developed in order to combat
prejudicial attitudes based on race/ethnicity/faith and to promote
tolerance and respect. This is a model that should be supported
and sustained more broadly by the UK Government, the Welsh
Assembly Government and local authorities in Wales.
(Recommendations, 9.1)
• .....it is also recommended that such interventions should be
placed within a broader community cohesion programme for
Wales. (9.2)
• .....need to broaden out the educational interventions involved
in GOT to all communities and schools in Wales. (9.3) (Professor
David Egan, Director, CAER, UWIC)
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• The GOT 2 programme (the DVD and the programme manual)
should be endorsed by the Cardiff Local Authority and strongly
recommended for dissemination to all secondary schools and 16–
19 colleges in Cardiff.
• A brief should be prepared for the Minister of Education and Skills
in Wales outlining the benefits for young people from being
involved in the GOT 2 programme, with the recommendation that
all secondary schools in Wales should be invited to join the GOT 2
project.
• Alan Evans Learning and Development Unit
School of Social Sciences
Cardiff University, March 2014
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GOT’s purpose:
• The GOT Project currently comprises five inter-locking
programmes which target 11+ young persons and adults.
• The Project’s core objectives - applied differentially - for
all programmes:
• To counter intolerance and (violent) extremism through
independent and critical thinking.
• To facilitate knowledge and understanding of the nonviolent message of the Islamic faith.
• To reduce prejudice and discrimination between all
faiths, cultures and creeds, and
• To promote integrated and cohesive communities.
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Description of the good Muslim in Islaam:
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) described the
good Muslim as someone who presents no harm to
others by words or deeds.
Reported by Tirmidhi
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RUBIN’S VASE 1915
WHAT WE PERCEIVE OFTEN CRITICALLY DEPENDS ON THE
PERSPECTIVE WE TAKE.