Preventing Islamism

The Scientific Advisory Board to the Interministerial Working Group (IMAG) on preventing Islamism provides scientific knowledge on societal phenomena and current developments in the prevention of radicalisation and advises on acute crises.

The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry for  Children, Youth, Family, Equality, Refugees and  Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia founded the  Scientific Advisory Board in 2022. With the chairmanship of Conrad Schetter (2022–2024), bicc took over the coordination of the Board`s work. Appointed to the Board are eleven academics who conduct research on topics related to Islamism, including Islamist currents, Islamic religious education, antisemitism, prevention of radicalisation and psychosocial stress in migrant families. 

The members advise the IMAG both in terms of content and strategically. In addition, they contribute to the IMAG reports and provide expertise regarding prevention measures in sub-working groups on antisemitism, digitalisation, refugees and networking.

Based on long-standing expertise and new research results, the board suggests ways to prevent online radicalisation, provides knowledge on the social–psychological dimensions of radicalisation and resilience-building or highlights risks in current political and societal discourses.