IMPACT Europe researcher attends inaugural meeting of the Dutch Platform for Researchers on Radicalisation and Extremism
IMPACT Europe researcher Helma van den Berg participated in the inaugural meeting of the Dutch Platform for Researchers on Radicalisation and Extremism, which took place on 4 June 2015 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The goal of the Platform is to facilitate the exchange, enhancement, and dissemination of the latest knowledge in the field of deradicalisation research, and to provide a long-term view on how to most effectively tackle challenges in the domain of counter violent radicalisation work.
Organised by Magda Rooze, Senior Advisor with the Arq psychotrauma expert group, and Professor Bert-Jan Doosje, Frank Buys Chair of Radicalisation Studies at the University of Amsterdam, the inaugural meeting of the Platform brought together subject matter experts from Leiden University, the University of Amsterdam, Utrecht University, and other relevant research institutes and practitioner organisations engaged in the field of counter violent radicalisation, such as the International Center for Counter-terrorism in the Hague, TNO, and the Dutch National Police. Thematically, the meeting focussed on investigating (the motives of) radicalised and de-radicalised individuals, tacking stock of existing counter violent radicalisation interventions, and identifying appropriate methods for evaluating such interventions.
Participating on behalf of TNO, Helma van den Berg introduced a database on factors leading to radicalisation, counter violent radicalisation interventions, and evaluations of these interventions, which forms part of the empirical basis of the IMPACT Europe evaluation toolkit that will help practitioners to design and assess their counter violent radicalisation programmes and policies from 2017 onwards.
Van den Berg’s presentation sparked a vivid discussion among Platform meeting participants, who were interested to learn more about the different types of data sources that are (searchable) in the IMPACT Europe database and the types of searches that are possible. Many of the experts were also interested in learning more about the ways researchers could use the IMPACT Europe database and toolkit in the future. At the moment, researchers with knowledge of Excel and/or statistical software can already work with a version of the database.
The Dutch Platform for Researchers on Radicalisation and Extremism will have its next meeting during the autumn of 2015.