“The ideology becomes a way to make sense of that disconnection”: Beliefs, behaviour and belonging – does ideology matter in countering violent extremism?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The role of ideology in driving radicalisation to violent extremism is a more multifaceted and contested question than it may at first appear. While various explanatory models of radicalisation do suggest that ideology is an important precursor to the use of violence, other research has warned of various potential risks associated with focusing on the ideas in an individual’s mind, rather than the actions they carry out. This article engages with such complexities regarding the issue of ideology, drawing from interviews with twelve Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) practitioners based in various states and territories of Australia. Our focus is on their conceptual insights and working practices regarding the role of ideology in radicalisation to violent extremism, placing these in the context of existing literature, debates and other front-line experiences to explore whether, and in what ways, ideology matters for CVE efforts.