In 2014 the 'Trojan Horse' affair, an alleged plot to 'Islamify' several state schools in Birmingham, caused a previously highly successful school to be vilified. Holmwood and O'Toole challenge the accepted narrative and show how it was used to justify an intrusive counter extremism agenda.

In 2014 the UK government launched an investigation into the "Trojan Horse" affair, an alleged plot to "Islamify" several state schools in Birmingham. In this book, John Holmwood, who was an expert witness in the professional misconduct cases brought against the teachers in the school, and Therese O'Toole, who researches the government's counter-extremism agenda, challenge the accepted narrative, arguing that a major injustice was inflicted on the teachers, and they go on to show how the affair was used to criticize multiculturalism and justify the expansion of a broad and intrusive counter-extremism agenda.

The Prevent strategy, launched in 2007 seeks to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism both in the UK and overseas. It is the preventative strand of the government's counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. Over the past few years Prevent has not been fully effective and it needs to change. This review evaluates work to date and sets out how Prevent will be implemented in the future. Specifically Prevent will aim to: respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it; prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support; and work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalization which need to be addressed

This open access book explores the enactment, impact and implications of the Prevent Duty across a range of educational contexts. In July 2015 the UK became the first country to place a specific legal requirement on those working in education to contribute to efforts to ‘prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. Drawing on extensive research with staff, children and young people, the editors and contributors provide new insight into how this high-profile – and highly contentious – policy has shaped educational practice in Britain today. It will be a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers and others interested in the design, implementation and on-the-ground effects of Prevent or similar programmes internationally that place education at the heart of efforts to prevent or counter violent extremism.

The study of violent extremism has seen a great deal of academic and practitioner focus on the processes of radicalization, and strategies to counter and de-radicalize extremists. Comparatively, little has been written on the subject of Diversion – early, upstream interventions aimed at deflecting individuals from a pathway of radicalization. This volume addresses this gap in scholarship by analyzing the strategies being deployed worldwide, aimed at diverting or deflecting individuals, and communities, from the path of radicalization. Disengagement – which is often necessary when one has already progressed past the 'at-risk' stage – is also addressed, given that social workers, counselors and other practitioners do not necessarily find the distinction between the two a critical issue in practice. What matters is which upstream approaches work, and what shows promise, amongst individuals and communities. Case studies range across the Global North and South, presented by both academics and practitioners. Contributions address approaches that have proven useful, strategies which should be given deeper scrutiny before being employed – and what should be avoided.

This edited collection addresses a number of free speech vs security concerns that are engaged by counter-terrorism law and policy makers across a number of liberal democracies, and explores the delicate balance between free speech and the censoring of views that promote hatred or clash with fundamental democratic values. It does this by looking at the perspectives and level of disagreement between those who consider today’s counter-terrorism and extremism strategies to be a soft and liberal approach, and those who believe these strategies disproportionately impact freedom of expression and association and non-violent political dissent. The contributors include academics, practicing lawyers, and think-tank analysts who examine whether universities and schools incubators of violent radicalism and debate, and whether the views of ‘extremist’ speakers and hate preachers need to be censored. Outside the UK, critical discussion of the regulation of counter-terrorism, extremism, and free speech in other liberal democracies is also offered. This book will be of great interest to researchers and practitioners with interests in extremism, terrorism, civil rights, and freedom of speech.