Counter Radicalization and De-radicalization in Western Democracies: The Case of Australia

Abstract

Following the emergence of some serious Violent Extremist activities and individuals during the first decade of the 21st century (see the previous chapter for more detail), the Australian government promoted modest de-radicalization and counter radicalization procedures. The literature has paid little attention to how the Australian government actually responded to the rise of Violent Extremism (VEm), including the rise of ‘home-grown’ terrorism in particular. This is not only because these efforts remained nascent, but also because the Australian government felt uncomfortable publicizing them for fear of undermining them. This chapter fills an important gap in the literature by focusing entirely on Australia’s response to the emergence of VEm in its territory.