Religious Youth Radicalization in Canada

Religious Youth Radicalization in Canada Dr. Paul Bramadat (University of Winnipeg) and Dr. Scot Wortley (University of Toronto) Prepared for The Department of Canadian Heritage Multiculturalism and Human Rights Branch February 2008

Purpose of Project: • to investigate the empirical data that exists on religious youth radicalization, and to “thematize” the question so other scholars and policy analysts might continue to address some of the broader issues

Methodology: • literature reviews • outline of the arguments for and against violence • study of the radical sensibilities evident in in-group websites

Terms of reference: • Youth: 14-24 • Religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism • Religious radicalization: those who explicitly link their religious and radical convictions

Historical subtext: What is perhaps new: the intersection between: • age-old anxieties about youth, and • new anxieties about the state of secularism

The Problem: • in the 1970s and 1980s, we saw a concern over “cults” • the concern now (among parents, policy makers, and religious “moderates”) is not that alienated youth might become “Moonies” • the concern is that youth might be drawn into radicalized forms of Christianity, Islam, etc.

Background: • the classic secularization hypothesis has not stood up well empirically or historically • indeed, in some places in the West religion has returned with a vengeance

both empirical evidence and common sense from the last 15-20 years tell us that religion is alive and well, though greatly transformed • the secularization hypothesis remains a crucial component of the ideology of secularism • public and political discourse about religion in the West is full of dire predictions about the consequences of abandoning secularism

but now we ask: what might happen to youth if they enter a world in which religion doesn’t “know its place”?

many people worry that particular religions might be more or less suited to liberal democratic societies • however, all religions have been associated with both violent and non-violent texts, figures, movements, and ideas • this should make us reluctant to argue that any religion is inherently inclined toward violence

Obstacles to Grappling with Religious Youth Radicalization: • First, two essentialisms: • 1. religions are or a particular religion is inherently violent or illiberal • 2. religions are essentially non-violent and only appear to be violent when “hijacked” by political or economic movements

Neither essentialism is warranted, since: • 1. all religions have been prone to both violence and non-violence • 2. it is a secularist conceit to assume that stated religious motivations always mask “other” or “real” motivations

once the burden was only on religious people to translate their religious convictions into “neutral” secular concepts • now the burden is also on non-religious people to translate their convictions into terms that religious people can engage

The second obstacle: • scholars and policy makers are beginning to realize that many people in Western societies are “religiously illiterate” and unable to respond to these issues

Conclusions • religious youth radicalization in Canada is barely addressed in the academic or policy literature • the phenomenon is far less prevalent than many of us think • however, it does exist, and we need to think about how to address it

it stems from feelings of alienation, perceptions of persecution and the unfairness of the social order • as such, we need to focus our efforts on including all youth in Canadian society • perhaps we need to reach out specifically to religious youth (as we have to “visible minority” youth)

widespread religious illiteracy and the on-going popularity of secularism must be addressed, perhaps by public education campaigns and mandatory high school courses about religion

secularism is deeply entrenched among our elites, but the openness of federal policy makers to religion is a good sign • so is the increasing sophistication of legal scholarship on this matter • so are discussions around “reasonable accommodation”

Religious Youth Radicalization in Canada