Reducing the Vulnerability of Youth in Kenya to Radicalisation and their Subsequent Recruitment into Violent Extremism

Abstract

The main focus of this study is the prevention of radicalisation of the youth in Kenya and their subsequent participation in violent extremism. Since the turn of the 21st Century, terrorism has dominated international political debate and relations between states. In spite of the complexity and lack of consensus in defining radicalisation, there are some notions or facts that are pivotal in understanding the radicalisation process. These are that radicalisation is a process; radicalist behaviour and attitude are not necessarily linked to violence, and that radicalisation is subjective and context-specific. The main conclusion is that preventive measures against vulnerability to radicalisation should be holistic and multi-faceted, and not the aggressive approach taken by governments in this day.