No national plans. Tackling radicalisation and discrimination with the effort of civil society in Greece and Romania

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper looks at the two case studies of Greece and Romania where national policies and strategies for Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism (P/CVE) are non-existent or suffer from a deficiency in implementation. The analysis begins with a diagnosis of each country’s history and reaction to different types of violent extremism and attempts to highlight the ways in which each of them has dealt with this phenomenon. Both in Greece and Romania, the task has fallen into the hands of civil society to lead and develop local, regional, and national P/CVE programs. This is examined in this article, followed by an in-depth analysis of local action against radicalisation and VE in two cities in Greece and Romania. The paper also takes the perspective of education and social cohesion in analysing the issues at hand. The results of the analysis showcase that both countries lag in realising effective P/CVE strategies, with Greece having the institutional infrastructure – relevant agencies and local actors – albeit remaining inactive, and Romania still struggling to recognise the potential threat of radicalisation and violent extremism in the country – exemplified by the lack of open conversation at the level of government and public information.