The Contested Relationship Between Youth and Violent Extremism: Assessing the Evidence Base in Relation to P/CVE Interventions

This paper critically examines the limitations of youth empowerment interventions in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) within the framework of the Prevention Project, a comprehensive research endeavor. It highlights age as a frequently cited risk factor for engagement in violent extremism, but challenges the simplistic use of age as a predictor, noting the vast majority of young people who do not engage in such behavior. Youth programs, often based on oversimplified understandings of extremism drivers, struggle to effectively target activities and address the complex factors driving youth toward extremism. This oversimplification leads to the securitization of youth-related activities, framing young people as a 'suspect community.' Key findings and recommendations include the need for nuanced, context-specific definitions of youth and better targeting strategies based on evidence about risk and resilience factors. The paper also critiques the securitized view of youth, particularly young males, and calls for a gender-specific understanding to tailor interventions effectively. It advocates for empowering youth as partners rather than viewing them solely through a security lens, emphasizing the importance of integrating gender-specific issues into P/CVE programs.