TY - JOUR
T1 - The promotion of secularization as a counterterrorism strategy to religious terrorism
T2 - A case study of Iraq
AU - Mojtahedi, Mohammad Hossein
AU - van Wijk, J.
PY - 2019/12/27
Y1 - 2019/12/27
N2 - The increasing importance of establishing an Islamic state (a Caliphate) among religious terrorist groups has drawn the attention of academics and policymakers towards the benefits and pitfalls of the promotion of secularization as a counterterrorism strategy. Based on the historical experiences of secularization and religionization in Iraq and its societal structures, combined with a literature review of recent developments in the region, this article discusses to what extent and how secularization may promote and/or frustrate religious terrorism in present day Iraq. It concludes that, apart from some radical elements, there seems to be ideological and political space in Iraq to consider taking a direction to a more secular system. This could reduce political tensions and subsequently frustrate religious terrorism. Implementing it in a proper model in which major religious groups feel equally represented, however, may prove to be very challenging.
AB - The increasing importance of establishing an Islamic state (a Caliphate) among religious terrorist groups has drawn the attention of academics and policymakers towards the benefits and pitfalls of the promotion of secularization as a counterterrorism strategy. Based on the historical experiences of secularization and religionization in Iraq and its societal structures, combined with a literature review of recent developments in the region, this article discusses to what extent and how secularization may promote and/or frustrate religious terrorism in present day Iraq. It concludes that, apart from some radical elements, there seems to be ideological and political space in Iraq to consider taking a direction to a more secular system. This could reduce political tensions and subsequently frustrate religious terrorism. Implementing it in a proper model in which major religious groups feel equally represented, however, may prove to be very challenging.
KW - Counterterrorism
KW - Religious Terrorism
KW - Radicalization
KW - Secularization
KW - Iraq
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M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85081293973
SN - 2363-9849
VL - 2019/20
SP - 144
EP - 180
JO - Journal for Deradicalization
JF - Journal for Deradicalization
IS - 21
ER -