A Qualitative Content Analysis of Community-Led and Socio-Religio-Academic Narratives in Countering Extremism in the UK and Pakistan
Abstract
This research paper is a qualitative content analysis of a community-led model with a socio-religio-academic mentoring approach for countering violent extremism (CVE) in the United Kingdom and Pakistan. The primary role of the research was to determine the elements of the Socio-Religio-Academic Mentoring (SRAM) strategy in the community-led model. The analysis of content was employed to identify primary components of the SRAM approach and included social, religious, and academic mentoring to develop critical thinking, resilience as an identity, and empowerment within the community. The comparative results enlighten policymakers and practitioners to adopt ethical, inclusive, and adaptive interventions in both Western and Muslim majority societies. This study would be recommended to improve the implementation of the Socio-Religio-Academic Mentoring (SRAM) approach in academic institutions in Pakistan, where community and religious leaders should be incorporated into the curriculum planning so that mentoring-based modules could be integrated with traditional classroom delivery of content, increasing its relevance to specific contextual factors and value-based learning.
References
Aly, Anne, Emma Taylor, and Saul Karnovsky. 2017. “Moral Disengagement and Building Resilience to Violent Extremism.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 40 (6): 484–498. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2016.1221252.
Awan, Imran. 2020. “The Impact of the Prevent Strategy on Muslim Communities: A UK-Based Perspective.” Journal of Critical Studies on Terrorism 13 (1): 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/17539153.2019.1709019.
Barrett, Richard, and Mary Treacy. 2020. “Understanding the Drivers of Radicalisation: A Social Perspective.” In Psychological Perspective, edited by Richard Briggs and Simon Feve, 587–604. Terrorism and Political Violence 32 (3). London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
Briggs, Richard, and Simon Feve. 2013. Review of Programs to Counter Narratives of Violent Extremism: What Works and What Are the Implications for Government? London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
Briggs, Richard, and Tanya Silverman. 2015. Western Foreign Fighters: Innovations in Responding to the Threat. London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
El-Said, Hamed. 2015. New Approaches to Countering Terrorism: Designing and Evaluating Counter-Radicalization and De-Radicalization Programs. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Fairclough, Norman. 2013. Critical Discourse Analysis: The Critical Study of Language. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.
Heath-Kelly, Charlotte. 2017. “Algorithmic Autoimmunity in the NHS: Radicalisation and the Clinic.” Security Dialogue 48 (1): 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0967010616676647.
HM Government. 2023. Independent Review of Prevent: Final Report. London: UK Government. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications.
Home Office. 2019. Contest: The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism. London: UK Government. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications.
Ingram, Haroro. 2018. Deciphering the Siren Call of Militant Islamist Propaganda: Meaning, Credibility and Behavioural Change. The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT).
Jaspal, Zafar Nawaz. 2022. “Countering Violent Extremism in Pakistan: Emerging Trends and Policy Challenges.” South Asian Studies 37 (1): 23–45.
Khan, Ammar. 2021. “Religious Education and CVE in Pakistan: A Critical Review of Deradicalisation Strategies.” Journal of South Asian Studies 36 (4): 529–545. https://doi.org/10.1080/02666030.2021.1899912.
Khan, Hina. 2020. “Radicalisation and Deradicalisation in Pakistan: An Educational Response.” Journal of Peace Education 17 (2): 205–220. https://doi.org/10.1080/17400201.2019.1673467.
Kundnani, Arun. 2014. The Muslims Are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror. London: Verso.
Lederach, John Paul. 1997. Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace.
London Probation Trust. 2010. Evaluation Report on Reintegration Programs. London: London Probation Trust.
Lum, Cynthia, Leslie W. Kennedy, and Alison Sherley. 2020. “Evidence-Based Counterterrorism Policy: Evaluating CVE Strategies.” Security Journal 33 (1): 36–51. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-019-00185-7.
Mayring, Philipp. 2014. Qualitative Content Analysis: Theoretical Foundation, Basic Procedures and Software Solution. Klagenfurt, Austria: Beltz. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-395173.
Middlesex University. 2008. PROSEED Project Evaluation Report. London: Middlesex University.
Munir, Muhammad Asim. 2018. “Paigham-e-Pakistan: National Narrative Counter to Violence, Extremism, and Terrorism.” Islamic Studies 57 (3–4): 299–310.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). 2008. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Report on the Stockwell Project. London: UK Government.
Paigham-e-Pakistan. 2018. National Narrative and Fatwa against Terrorism and Extremism. Islamabad: Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University. https://www.paighamepakistan.gov.pk.
Qazi, Shehla. 2020. “Pakistan’s CVE Program and the Politics of Religious Reform.” Washington, DC: Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/research/pakistans-cve-program-and-the-politics-of-religious-reform/.
Qureshi, Toaha. 2025. Impact of Community-led Model and Socio-Religio-Academic Mentoring Approach to Counter Extremism: A Study of the UK with Lessons for Pakistan. PhD diss., Lahore Leads University.
Rana, Muhammad Amir. 2015. The Militant: Development of a Jihadi Mindset in Pakistan. Lahore: Mashal Books.
Schreier, Margrit. 2012. Qualitative Content Analysis in Practice. London: SAGE.
Stephens, Dalila, Stijn Sieckelinck, and Hans Boutellier. 2019. “Preventing Violent Extremism: A Review of the Literature.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 42 (12): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/1057610X.2018.1451674.
Stockwell Green Community Services (SGCS). 2007. The Role of Communities in Addressing Extremism. London: SGCS.
Thomas, Paul. 2020. Responding to the Threat of Violent Extremism – Failing to Prevent. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Wodak, Ruth. 2021. The Politics of Fear: The Shameless Normalization of Far-Right Discourse. 2nd ed. London: SAGE.
Zia-ul-Haq, Muhammad. 2022. Advancing Peace, Inclusiveness and Coexistence through Narrative Building. Islamabad: Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Publication of material in the journal means that the author assigns copyright to Islamic Studies including the rights to electronic publishing. This is, inter alia, to ensure the efficient handling of requests from third parties to reproduce articles as well as to enable wide dissemination of the published material. Authors may, however, use their material in other publications acknowledging Islamic Studies as the original place of publication. Requests by third parties for permission to reprint should be addressed to the Editor, Islamic Studies.
