Piyush Kumar Baranwal : Why is it that despite democracy and equality among its citizens, the European countries have failed to restrain its youth from joining the ISIS whereas India has been somewhat successful?

Nachiket Khadkiwala replies: Radicalisation in any society is a complex, and at one level, an idiosyncratic phenomenon. Yet at macro-level certain factors can be fathomed in Europe that may have led to youths joining the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Initially some European fighters were attracted to the Syrian conflict due to the narrative of freedom and democracy built around the ‘Arab Spring’. Muslims in Europe also felt disillusioned by the perceived hypocrisy of the Western governments which on one hand preached freedom, equality and human rights, but on the other hand did not act when atrocities were committed against Muslims in places like GazA. Vinod Kumar Vinod Kumar The effort by many European countries to recognise the state of Palestine is to address some of such concerns of their Muslim population. The freedom of movement offered by the European Union (EU) makes it easy for citizens of its member states to travel with ease across the continent. For example, EU citizens can travel freely till Cyprus and from there fly or ferry their way to Turkey and cross over to SyriA. Vinod Kumar Vinod Kumar Prisons in Europe have also been an active radicalisation and recruitment grounds for fighters in Europe, particularly in countries like France and Belgium where Muslims comprise at least 50 per cent of the total prison inmateS. Kalyanaraman Probably the most important factor is that Europe has failed to manage its diversity. Unlike India and to certain extent the United States, Europeans have struggled to assimilate migrants into their society. European society has witnessed many controversies related to the question of identity of its Muslim population like the 2009 Swiss referendum on minarets, the French banning of veils in public, the Clichy-sous-Bois uprisings in Paris (2005) and the Jyllands-Posten cartoon controversy (2005-06). Added to these were heinous crimes like murder of Dutch film maker Theo Van Gogh by a Dutch of Moroccan descent, and the Madrid train bombings (2004) and London bombings (2007). The proponents of multiculturalism believe that the backlash against multiculturalism in Europe has led to social exclusion of Muslims which has in turn made some of them attracted towards extremist ideologieS. Kalyanaraman While those against multiculturalism argue that multiculturalism has led to creation of ‘parallel societies’ among migrants which undermine European values of equality, freedom and democracy. In 2010, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron and the then French President Nicolas Sarkozy each had declared that multiculturalism has failed in Europe. Added to this were tough economic conditions and unemployment in some European countrieS. Kalyanaraman The economic recession further accentuated the sense of economic and social exclusion among the Muslims in Europe. In such a scenario, the idea of establishing a just and equitable caliphate that the ISIS propagates seems to be an attractive alternative for few misguided youthS. Kalyanaraman Posted on December 15, 2014