Mrs Eser, why does someone become a jihadist?
Mrs Eser, how do you come up with the idea of becoming a jihadist?
There are usually many different reasons for radicalisation. In principle, there can be both political and religious motives. In most cases, however, there is no profound prior religious knowledge, which is why those affected are less able to categorise religious messages and are easier to manipulate. Do jihadists not necessarily come from religious families? No. The statements of the intelligence service and Fedpol show that jihadists generally do not come from strictly religious families, but from secularised families. There are also some converts in Switzerland who have become radicalised. Overall, they make up a fifth of jihadist-motivated travellers to conflict areas.
Don't jihadists necessarily come from religious families?
No. The statements of the intelligence service and Fedpol show that jihadists generally do not come from strictly religious families, but from secularised families. There are also some converts in Switzerland who have become radicalised. Overall, they make up a fifth of jihadist-motivated travellers to conflict areas.
«Jihadists don't usually come from particularly religious families.»
Extremism researcher Miryam Eser Davolio
So the religious need is not in the foreground at the beginning?
Exactly. It's more about disorientation and the associated search for meaning. During puberty, young people are at a sensitive age, they are searching for identity. Jihadism satisfies this search with idealism and the utopia of building a new state with a clear world order.
And cements old role models.
Jihadism always means staging. IS knows very well that young men are attracted to classic heroic images, staged masculinity and clear enemy images. Going out and fighting together against an enemy - that is an age-old topos.
Are there any figures on young people travelling to war zones for jihadist reasons?
The number of jihadist-motivated travellers to conflict zones in Switzerland is lower than in neighbouring European countries when measured against the national population. Belgium and the Scandinavian countries in particular, as well as the Netherlands, the UK, France, Austria and Germany, have higher figures, but such comparisons should be made with caution, as they only reflect the findings of intelligence investigations and not all countries record them according to the same criteria. However, we know from the intelligence service figures that in this country it is predominantly a male phenomenon, i.e. men between the ages of 20 and 35. Of the 66 cases, 12 are converts - the latter all have a Swiss or EU passport. However, there is no typical profile in terms of education, social background and economic circumstances.
What about young women?
They are also attracted by a clear understanding of their role and the associated retreat to the feminine. This, together with the romanticised idea of living with a hero and fighter, is attractive to many young women. Added to this - and this applies to both genders - is the image of egalitarian brotherhood and sisterhood. Both fulfil the need for community, but also for recognition and solidarity.
Social media plays a major role in recruitment. What are your experiences?
We put three fake profiles on Facebook to see what reactions they trigger. Two were female. The profile picture of each showed a veiled woman, one name indicated a North African origin, the other was a Swiss name. We underlaid the profile with a Koranic verse. Within a few hours, one profile received 341 friend requests and several marriage proposals. The other female profile was also very popular. The male profile attracted rather little attention.
How exactly does IS recruitment work?
IS propaganda is aimed at a wide variety of target groups and the recruitment process is very sophisticated psychologically. By liking certain messages, you are directed to other websites with increasingly explicit content. You are then contacted on Facebook, for example, and start a chat that can go on for a very long time, through which you make more friends and continue to network. The central theme of the communication is usually the injustices against Muslims in Syria and elsewhere, as well as the prospect of a new, just social order that is capable of solving all the prevailing problems. However, it usually takes a long time before the young person finally buys a plane ticket.
«In Switzerland, the ban on minarets at the latest marked the start of a polarisation process in society that also has political dimensions.»
Extremism researcher Miryam Eser Davolio
Sociologists emphasise that Islamic extremism in particular is very skilful at manipulation.
Turning to Salafist groups operates with alternative worlds of meaning and belief and propagates a black and white world view. For example: the USA and the West are the bad guys who oppress and victimise the Arabs. This black-and-white thinking is also applied to the assessment of international conflicts and leads to an ideology of victimisation, which is linked to strong anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism. As a result, such radicalised young people see themselves as the vanguard of a religious revolution with strict social and moral obligations - to the point of risking their own lives for these ideals.
What role do videos in which violence against Muslims is shown play?
A big one. The violence is often depicted very explicitly. Images from Syria of children's corpses or rapes by US soldiers are shown, inciting people to fight back and subsequently to fight. This has great appeal and triggers strong emotions.
What can be the motivation of a well-educated young person to give up his life here for a life in a war zone?
Perhaps an example will help. A returnee from Syria explained his motivation for going to war in interviews. One of the reasons he gave was the desire to go to war against the massacres committed by Bashar al-Assad against his own people. But he also wanted to realise a personal project, a photo reportage about the situation on the ground in the sense of an eyewitness report, and he wanted to go on a paragliding flight in Syria. These three motivations illustrate humanitarian goals, the need for social recognition and the urge to experience strong emotions. Once he was on the ground, however, he quickly realised that his intentions did not coincide with those of the other people. For example, he refused to carry weapons. He was refused permission to go home and was instead sent to prison, where he was treated very badly.
Teenagers are going through puberty - a phase in life in which they seek out extremes. How do parents recognise that the fascination with radicalism is more than just adolescent behaviour?
It really isn't easy. After all, puberty is the epoch of the crisis of meaning par excellence. We know from our own lives that as teenagers we wanted to stand up for ideals and against injustice. This turn to something very radical also has to do with the tendency to think in black and white terms and the desire to put ideas into practice. But it can also just be a potential for protest. Even Salafist clothing can be an expression of wanting to create the greatest possible distance from their parents and their way of life.
They say that parents are often the last to find out about their child's new life.
Parents often only realise it late. Friends or siblings find out first, partly because some of them are connected via social networks. They change their profile picture, post something religious or similar. Those who aren't familiar with it - and that's many parents - don't even realise. Muslim parents, who mostly live a moderate Islam, may realise that their son or daughter suddenly adopts fundamentalist views and accuses them of not being true Muslims, but very few suspect that this could lead to a decision to support IS. We have around 400,000 Muslims in Switzerland. They are the largest unrecognised religious minority. Nevertheless, they consider extremism to be just as absurd and dangerous as the rest of society.
«Frustration and resignation make people susceptible to radical positions.»
Extremism researcher Miryam Eser Davolio
What can you do as the parent of a child who is going astray?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. They should certainly seek advice and support, as they are usually unable to cope with this difficult situation on their own and will not be able to reach their son or daughter. They can also pull the emergency brake by making a risk report themselves so that the authorities can take action and pressure the young person to sit down at a table and be open to a conversation.
What role do mosques play in Switzerland?
Most Muslim communities in Switzerland are moderate and discreet. They do not want to attract negative public attention and therefore often close their doors to radicalising young people. However, they may still have the opportunity to engage with young people on a religious level and act as a corrective. Fear of the media may play a role here. Some Muslim communities also have little contact with their young people and do not do any youth work. However, this would be important so that young people can engage with them and also act as a corrective, for example in relation to certain preachers on the internet who are considered dangerous. We are also in favour of counselling centres that parents, imams and teachers can turn to for help. Returnees, i.e. former jihadists, could also carry out important preventative work if they were to report on their experiences in Iraq, for example, and show that IS propaganda has little to do with reality.
Are young people with a migration background particularly at risk?
Yes, because they find themselves in a doubly challenging situation. In addition to puberty, they are marginalised due to their nationality or their foreign-sounding name. Many experience marginalisation on a daily basis, even though they are well integrated and educated. But their background makes them pariahs in society.
So immigrant children in Switzerland are at a disadvantage?
Yes, numerous studies prove this. For example, the many attempts to facilitate naturalisation or the anti-minaret initiative should be mentioned. But there are also other examples. For example, young people with a migration background have a harder time finding apprenticeships and jobs in this country. This can lead to great frustration.
Does frustration promote radicalism?
Not necessarily. But the denial of belonging and the marginalisation experienced do. And both frustration and resignation may make you susceptible to radical positions.
«Parents are usually the last to find out about their child's radicalisation.»
Miryam Eser Davolio
You mentioned the anti-minaret initiative. What role does it play in radicalisation processes?
Discrimination and political discussions in the sense of marginalising debates play an important role, alongside international conflicts, in the shift towards violence-oriented Islamist positions. Nevertheless, I would like to emphasise this: Radicalisation does not only affect Secondos, it also affects Swiss young people.
In what way?
In Switzerland, the ban on minarets has triggered a process of polarisation in society that also has political dimensions. This should be resolutely opposed - as is the tradition in pluralistic Switzerland. Otherwise we are playing into the hands of IS propaganda, which claims that Muslims are unwelcome here.
Since the attacks in Paris at the latest, Switzerland has also come under the spotlight. What can be done?
We are currently formulating approaches as to how Switzerland can carry out prevention work. This should be done at various levels, as we have already discussed here. However, I would like to emphasise that many different groups and nations traditionally coexist peacefully in Switzerland and that there is relatively little spatial segregation compared to the French banlieues, for example. That's a big plus, and I also believe that this puts us in a very different position to other European countries. We shouldn't lose sight of that.
About the person
Dr Miryam Eser Davolio teaches at the ZHAW School of Social Work in Zurich. Her research focuses on extremism and radicalisation. She is the lead author of the federally funded exploratory study with recommendations for prevention and intervention.
More info
Further information: www.zhaw.ch > Delinquency and crime prevention
Read more:
How can violence and radicalisation be avoided? A guide by Jesper Juul.