Description
This presentation focuses on the recent educational policy debates surrounding Muslims, schooling and the question of security in light of the UK’s Counter-Terrorism Security Act (2015). The paper analyses the infamous ‘Trojan Horse’ affair involving allegations of ‘extremism’ within Muslim-dominated state schools in Birmingham, and critically examines counter-terrorism and security discourse in light of theoretical insights from the study of securitisation and racial politics.RESPONDING TO RESPONSIBILISATION: EDUCATORS IMPLIMENTING THE PREVENT DUTY IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Professor Paul Thomas
The 2015 Counter-Terrorism Act placed a formal legal duty on all British frontline education, health and welfare professionals to spot and report individuals viewed as being ‘at risk’ of radicalisation and extremist involvement – a clear shift of focus for ‘responsibilisation’ within the Prevent Strategy. High-profile cases of inappropriate referrals of Muslim students reported in the media seem to confirm the arguably Islamophobic reality of this policy measure. Yet how representative of ground-level Prevent Duty implementation are such cases? Data from recently completed empirical research with educators in English schools and colleges highlights complex experiences in which the influence of ground-level institutions and ‘street-level’ bureaucrats serve to mediate and potentially reposition the impacts of Prevent in schools as a process of policy enactment.
| Period | 23 Nov 2017 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Addressing Violent Extremism and Radicalisation to Terrorism Research Network: AVERT Research network |
| Event type | Seminar |
| Location | AustraliaShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |