Project "Distance"

Project Name: Structural Causes of Approaches to and Distancing from Islamist Radicalization - Development of Preventive Educational Counseling Approaches (Project "Distance")

Project Management and Application: Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kart (Hannover International University), Prof. Dr. Margit Stein

Project Collaborators: Yannick von Lautz (Hannover site), Eike Bösing (Vechta site)

Duration: November 2020 – January 2025

Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funding in the funding line: "Social Causes and Effects of Radical Islam in Germany and Europe"

Grant Amount: €232,880.00 for the Vechta site

Project Description:

In close collaboration between both locations, the joint project will address two work packages. The first phase of the project, "Distance," aims to comprehensively and scientifically explore the process of approaching and successfully distancing oneself from Islamist radicalization using qualitative interviews with young people and practitioners from relevant counseling centers (WP I). In the second phase, based on the scientific findings from the qualitative study, new models, training courses, and preventive educational approaches for counseling centers and other actors in the field will be developed in collaboration with the practice partners to support distancing. The project thus addresses, in a practical context, the question of how radicalization tendencies in young people can be identified at an early stage and which preventive educational measures/projects—particularly in structural terms in families, schools, workplaces, and (religious) institutions—can be successfully used to counter radicalization and promote distancing. In addition, teaching concepts and teacher training courses for schools on preventive pedagogical work are being developed (WP II). The practical workshops and training courses, lasting several hours, are aimed at interested teachers. Work Package II not only draws on the results of project phase I, but also conducts an additional review of previous deradicalization approaches and offerings, which will be systematized and examined for their transferability to the project. This applies to both the training courses and workshops as well as the handout provided to practitioners.

Further information about the “Distance” project.