ANSD : Battle of the narratives

FRI 26 - 4 - 2024

Date: Sep 19, 2018
Source: The Daily Star

Battle of the narratives

Rubina Abu Zeinab-Chahine

Over the last two decades, many tools and tactics for preventing violent extremism have been used to address this phenomenon. Some actions and interventions have even escalated tensions and more violent extremism. But what are the opportunities today to reframe the challenge of countering violent extremism?

As observed in Search for Common Ground’s “Transforming Violent Extremism: A Peacebuilder’s Guide,” by drawing from the last 20 years of experience in peace building, countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism, different actors have a clearer knowledge today of the importance of understanding the dynamics that foment violent extremism and the approaches that prevent those dynamics from giving rise to violent extremism.

The guide also notes that believing transformation is likely brings hope and pre-emptive solutions to even the most protracted and intense conflict settings. Further, it notes, it serves as a reminder that even though someone may choose violent extremism at one point in their lives, they can choose a different path later, altering themselves and their relationships.

On Sept. 27, on the sidelines of the 73rd U.N. General Assembly’s high-level week, Lebanon will participate in an event organized by the Global Counterterrorism Forum, an instrumental forum of 29 countries and the European Union aiming at preventing people’s vulnerability to terrorism.

The title of the event is “New Partnerships for Countering Violent Extremist Narratives.” Co-organized by the European Union and Denmark’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, it aims to examine the challenges of countering extremist narratives online and offline and the effectiveness of the response.

It will bring together around 100 experts and practitioners, policymakers, civil society organizations, tech companies and academics. The discussion will focus on the importance of public-private partnerships in countering violent extremist narratives. This will feed into the development of new public-private partnerships and innovative approaches to tackling terrorist narratives online and offline.

Counternarratives are reactions to a violent extremist claim, and can also cover promoting positive and alternative narratives that reinforce values contrary to extremism – such as peace, tolerance and conciliation.

To achieve their goals, the counternarratives must be multisectoral, multidimensional and utilize several platforms.

Good governance is among the best tools for true counter- and alternative narratives.

Recent research has shown that good governance is the best narrative and antidote to radicalization, especially in conflict and fragile contexts. In three intersecting sectors – development, countering violent extremism and preventing violent extremism – scholars, researchers and practitioners have shifted focus in addressing violent extremism from an approach entirely assuming that economic factors drive extremism, to strengthening effective governance that tackles grievances.

A research study by Mercy Corps, “Youth and Consequences: Unemployment, Injustice and Violence,” records that the outcomes of development programs targeting employment, capacity building and opportunities for vulnerable youth do not correspond with a decrease in violent extremism. Findings of the study indicate programs that are “paired with meaningful governance reforms” are key.

State legitimacy is boosted by short-term stabilization and longer-term institutional capacity building programs. An inclusive state-society relationship is crucial for governance reform.

A progressive, trusted and resilient social contract, a tool of good governance, acts today as an actionable step toward revitalizing mandates of conflict prevention and sustainable peace.

Recently, 12 countries were examined in a comparative research project titled “Forging Resilient Social Contracts: Preventing Violent Extremism and Sustaining Peace,” aiming to uplift the concept of social contract in advancing policy and practice for preventing violent conflict.

What does a clear understanding of social contract mean to people in different contexts? How does it translate into a more sustainable peace? How can alternative narratives be utilized in promoting peaceful mediation of different interests and expectations, understandings of rights, responsibilities and social transformations? These are important questions to be addressed.

In early 2017, the Lebanese government started working on a national coordination process, involving 29 ministries, to develop a National Strategy for Preventing Violent Extremism in cooperation with the resident coordinator of the secretary-general of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Program, the National Initiative for the Centennial of Greater Lebanon and the Swiss Embassy.

Social contracts have a clear interpretation in society that is reflected in the underlying agreement between society and the state. The Constitution is at the top of these documents.

Executive regulations are institutional and policy applications for the Constitution. Based on this doctrine, the Lebanese Strategy for Preventing Violent Extremism, endorsed by Cabinet on March 27 this year, built on the executive regulations of each ministry, preserving the role and function of each ministry in the process of preventing violent extremism – comparing the executive regulation of the ministry against key PVE objectives to assess and illustrate that PVE is in the heart of government institutions’ job description.

A deep process of social cohesion reflected in constructive community bonds will support peace and prevent violent extremism. This could be best supported by narratives that reflect on belonging and identification, trust and respect, participation and representation, that can build a common vision of society and trusted pathways.

_{Rubina Abu Zeinab-Chahine is executive director of the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on September 19, 2018, on page 3.}

The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Arab Network for the Study of Democracy

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