Deradicalisation in Germany: preventing and countering violent extremism

Abstract

This article examines the development of German policies aiming at the deradicalisation of extremists and terrorists which, originating in the late 1980s were initially focused on left-wing terrorists. In the 1990s, the German authorities extended their funding to civil society initiatives which, in the 2000s, has led to the widespread adoption of deradicalisation initiatives. From 2012 onwards, the German authorities extended funding to far-reaching programmes which, focused on the social setting of jihadist extremists, have eventually come to constitute one of the world’s most diverse set of projects for preventing and combatting violent extremism (P/CVE). While analysing the basic features of the German P/CVE the article discusses essential lessons for other countries. The most salient German experiences are the diversity of the actors involved, the variety of sources of funding, and general standards of quality.