It is important that youth workers are aware of such structural factors influencing and constraining contact between Muslims and others, but they can do little to change those factors except through political activism. What youth workers can do more directly is promote conversations about extremism between young people. The professionalism of youth workers will be the main basis for deciding when and how it is best to promote conversations in this difficult area. However, it is almost certainly not by directly raising issues of extremism, as has often been done by the ‘Respect’ agenda in the UK (a Government initiative). Youth Workers I have spoken to suggest that not only was their credibility in danger of being undermined in the eyes of Muslim young people by taking the money from government but it also led to defensive forms of discussions which may have reinforced existing divided attitudes. The ‘Respect’ agenda occurred in the aftermath of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and many Muslim young people used this as a way of rejecting any concept of British democracy that included such British military involvement.
Conversations need to start with the key issues of relevance to young people. In the UK, a Muslim youth help line based in London identified relationships, mental health, offending and rehabilitation as key issues alongside religion; issues also common to other young people. Whilst this suggests conversations can be promoted, can the topic of extremism be discussed in a productive way? Youth workers have often recognised the value of indirect ways of intervention. Young people have to feel safe and have a basic level of trust before meaningful conversations can occur. When I worked on Youth and Community university courses I felt such conversations could only happen between Muslims and others after separate groups had had some space and time on their own to develop and explore their positions. These positions were not about extremism per se but about what it meant to be a Muslim and a youth worker, or a Christian and a youth worker, or neither. Key topics such as the promotion of democracy, combating discrimination, or being authentic to themselves, were discussed in separate groups alongside sessions where groups were fully integrated.
The majority of youth work is locally based so limiting diversity; but European funding of youth worker mobility and youth exchanges offers the promise of learning and change. Even then it is not suggested that extremism should be central to any agenda but given enough time and space it is likely the topic can be discussed in a constructive way. A potentially positive development that could break down some of the fear and resentment that hinders real conversation is the current crisis over migration from the Middle East and parts of Africa. The anti-Muslim sentiment that underpinned the considerable resistance to respond positively to the unfolding humanitarian crisis was stated openly in countries such as Hungary and Slovakia, whilst other governments, such as the British, have been less open in expressing their rationale in refusing entry to most migrants. It is with some incredulity that many Britons watch Germans welcoming refugees, applauding them as they arrive and giving presents of bedding, toys, and sim cards. The situation in Calais with migrants trying to get into the UK has paled into a minor issue compared to the number reaching Germany and other European countries.
European governments are now being led by a surge of heartfelt people-led compassion towards migrants as people first, with their nationality and colour or religion as secondary. At present it is not hard to have this conversation about migration as it dominates the news, which allows discussion about how ‘other’ migrants really are, and also how much Muslims pose a threat to European security and identity. However, it is important that these conversations continue in the coming years to reinforce the potential of common identities between hosts and migrants, to mitigate difference, and prevent extremism.
Whilst conversation is a process in which the outcome cannot be predetermined, dialogue about extremism offers potential. Stereotypes about both Muslims and others will be challenged, with common issues recognised and diversity valued. Regarding diversity within Islam, the potential is to realise that not only the country of origin of parents, or more likely grandparents, will influence the way their faith is practised but also the country of residence within Europe. All too often young Muslims can defend their religion against criticism by seeing any negative aspect as ‘cultural’ so seeing religion as a fixed ahistorical entity. The search for a valid form of Western Islam is important and young Muslims need to be involved in its construction. This will be a sophisticated conversation since there is a tendency for youth sub-cultures to reject all parental culture; and potentially young Muslims rejecting all of Western youth culture. This is a path to extremism and that only conversation and challenge by others can resist.
