Dialoguer avec des adolescents et jeunes adultes dans le contexte du développement des idéologies radicales, du terrorisme et des guerres barbares

Abstract

ObjectiveTerrorism is increasing. How can we talk with adolescents who could be tempted by it? MethodsThe author backs upon studies by sociologists, historians, lawyers, psychoanalysts on perpetrators of genocide or terrorism and on their victims, on present adolescents and their fragility, also on his experience with adolescents facing their possible death. ResultsWe need to be prudent because this issue is a new one. There is no typical sociological or psychopathological profile (this is an argument against early screening), but elements of fragility can often be found: fragility of narcissism and of identity, archaic terrors, which adolescence revives, breaks in their own and family history, their loneliness, their pervasive doubts and their need for certainty, for an almighty master, and for sacred values, in a context of political, economic, ideological, religious disarray. These elements can lead, soon or later, to many other outcomes than radicalization: various pathologies, but also various practices of creativity. There is a gap between each step of radicalization: expressing sympathy for the terrorists, contacting them, helping them in a way or another, joining a group or deciding to commit a terrorist act, committing it, going to the Middle-East, killing people there. The journey that leads to planning a terrorist act is a long one (even if radicalization may appear a short one), and the journey back will also be a very long one. Radicalization often occurs in family (siblings, brothers-in-law, uncles, etc.) and local networks, such as groups of out of school adolescents or unemployed young adults or of petty criminals, soccer or bodybuilding clubs, music or dance associations, etc. We should integrate the concern about the temptation of terrorism among our other concerns about the adolescents’ present and future unease, whatever the reason of their coming is. Our everyday clinical work is our participation in the prevention of the growth of terrorists’ temptation among adolescents and young adults. But we have to be attentive to our counter-transference and to the images of terrorism which hamper us. But only a few numbers of adolescents will contact us. Therefore, our task is also to participate in discussion groups in any place where the adolescents meet, even if it is difficult. ConclusionRadicalization is not a matter of specialists. Without fascination neither fear, all of us must cope with it, in our everyday work with children and adolescents in this world disturbed by radical ideologies, terrorism and barbaric wars.