• عربي
  • Fr
  • Es
No Result
View All Result
European Eye on Radicalization
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Editorial board and staff
      • Contributors
    • Vision
  • Articles
  • Reports
  • Reading Radicalization
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Glossary
  • Resources
    • Bibliographies
    • Journals
  • Contact
  • EnglishEnglish
    • العربيةالعربية
    • FrançaisFrançais
    • EspañolEspañol
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Editorial board and staff
      • Contributors
    • Vision
  • Articles
  • Reports
  • Reading Radicalization
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Glossary
  • Resources
    • Bibliographies
    • Journals
  • Contact
  • EnglishEnglish
    • العربيةالعربية
    • FrançaisFrançais
    • EspañolEspañol
No Result
View All Result
European Eye on Radicalization
No Result
View All Result
Home Reading Radicalization

Backyard Jihad: How Parents Can Detect the Invisible Threat of Radicalization

Valerie L. Greenfeld; Jones Media Publishing; 2018; 252 pages

2 December 2020
in Reading Radicalization
Backyard Jihad: How Parents Can Detect the Invisible Threat of Radicalization

School kids running in schoolyard

465
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

European Eye on Radicalization

Backyard Jihad is a useful tool for the general public and parents who want to learn more about processes of radicalization and how to spot the warning signs. Valerie L. Greenfeld has experience in the fields of security advocacy, physical and cyber security, political strategy, research and communications and a strong expertise in Middle East-U.S. foreign policy and counter-terrorism.

Interestingly, however, the book is not written for experts in these fields, but for curious non-specialized readers. It combines a high number of diverse case studies of radicalization processes — mostly, but not exclusively from, the US — with practical pieces of advice, which represent the core of the work. Every chapter contains real stories and ends with a list of steps to take related to the dynamics involved in that story and that chapter.

Practical Steps Suggested

Backyard Jihad is quick and efficient read with a fluid style that is enriched by appropriate theoretical frameworks and insights taken from major terrorism and radicalization experts. The most distinguishing feature of Greenfeld’s book is how she provides easy and practical steps to take if you begin to notice that a young individual could be radicalizing.

Undoubtedly, the book can be regarded as a starter pack of tips to educate parents and communities about how radicalization actually takes place and occurs both online and offline. Some of the writer’s suggestions include: cultivating awareness of your children’s friends and activities, keeping them emotionally connected to the family, not being complacent or creating a false sense of security, but being aware and realistic, teaching responsibility for one another and celebrating the courage to fail with resilience.

Understanding Radicalization Nuances

Other tips focus more markedly on the processes of radicalization: discussing extreme ideologies and how to recognize and avoid them, becoming aware of the differences between Islam the religion, and Islamism the political ideology, becoming aware that there are many reasons individuals radicalize and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to radicalization, and also, discussing taboo subjects such as bullying, stranger danger, sexual predators, hate groups, suicide, radicalization, terrorism, comparing the similarities between cults and jihadism, becoming familiar with the concept of groupthink, contagion, polarization and many others.

Some Advice Too Simplistic

In a couple of passages, the book sounds slightly simplistic. For example, it urges to “learn about terrorism financing and research organization before donating to charities”. While this is, undoubtedly, an admirable idea, the problem is its feasibility, given that this task is extremely hard even for terrorism experts and law enforcement authorities who have been working in the field.

The second piece of advice that sounded simplistic and tricky is “becoming aware of the effects of non-assimilation in American neighborhoods,” as we all should know that assimilation is just one — extremely controversial — integration model in contemporary societies.

Conclusion

Overall, the book is a valuable tool for parents and communities who are eager to understand radicalization and recruitment, although at times it lacks the analytical depth needed to tackle these complex phenomena.

Related Posts

The Muslim Brothers in Society: Everyday Politics, Social Action, and Islamism in Mubarak’s Egypt
Reading Radicalization

The Muslim Brothers in Society: Everyday Politics, Social Action, and Islamism in Mubarak’s Egypt

25 January 2021
The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the U.S., and Iran’s Global Ambitions
Reading Radicalization

The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the U.S., and Iran’s Global Ambitions

18 January 2021
Tonight We Bombed the U.S. Capitol
Reading Radicalization

Tonight We Bombed the U.S. Capitol

8 January 2021
Homegrown: ISIS in America
Reading Radicalization

Homegrown: ISIS in America

30 December 2020
Radicalization to Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know
Reading Radicalization

Radicalization to Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know

28 October 2020
The Islamist Challenge in Britain
Reading Radicalization

The Islamist Challenge in Britain

16 October 2020

Latest from Twitter

Popular

Muslim No-Go-Zones in the West – A Myth or a Reality?

24 July 2018
Islamist Currents in the Maldives and the Islamic State

Islamist Currents in the Maldives and the Islamic State

10 February 2020
Terrorism in Switzerland: No Western Country is Immune to Jihadist Threat

Terrorism in Switzerland: No Western Country is Immune to Jihadist Threat

23 December 2020
Death and Consequences for Al-Qaeda’s Leadership

Death and Consequences for Al-Qaeda’s Leadership

16 November 2020
Islamic State’s Khorasan Province: A Potent Force in Afghan Jihad

Islamic State’s Khorasan Province: A Potent Force in Afghan Jihad

14 December 2020
Counter-Radicalization and Female Empowerment Nexus: Can Female Empowerment Reduce the Appeal of Radical Ideologies?

Counter-Radicalization and Female Empowerment Nexus: Can Female Empowerment Reduce the Appeal of Radical Ideologies?

30 November 2020

© 2018 EER - Copyright © European Eye on Radicalization.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Editorial board and staff
      • Contributors
    • Vision
  • Articles
  • Reports
  • Reading Radicalization
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Glossary
  • Resources
    • Bibliographies
    • Journals
  • Contact
  • EnglishEnglish
    • العربيةالعربية
    • FrançaisFrançais
    • EspañolEspañol
  • عربي
  • Fr
  • Es

© 2018 EER - Copyright © European Eye on Radicalization.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.