Iris van Venrooij (Class of ’16), Abigail Pickard (Class of ’17), Jantine Wignand (Class of ’16), Dr. Eri Park and Dr. Marcin Sklad collaborated on the article entitled ‘Radicalization Prevention by Means of Strengthening Social and Civic Competences’.
Abstract
This study evaluates the effects and reception of the Universal Curriculum Against Radicalization in Europe: an intervention aimed at preventing radicalization trough fostering social and civic competences and disrupting mechanisms involved in radicalization. A total of 191 Dutch secondary school students received the curriculum. The effects were assessed by contrasting the intervention and comparison groups. The curriculum was positively received by both teachers and students. Participants in the intervention group improved significantly more than the comparison group on the majority of measured outcomes: mindfulness, conflict resolution, assertiveness, (multiple) identity awareness, political self-efficacy, awareness of group pressure, critical open-mindedness, and perspective taking. Results suggest that the UCARE curriculum fosters skills and competences indicated to have preventive potential against radicalization.
The full article is available here.