Increasing Cognitive Complexity and Collaboration Across Communities: Being Muslim Being Scottish

Journal of Strategic Security

Boyd-MacMillan, Eolene M.¹ 

[1] University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge

关键词: Identity;    Ideology;    Radicalization;    Terrorism / counterterrorism;    Violent extremism;   

DOI  :  10.5038/1944-0472.9.4.1563

学科分类：建筑学

来源: Henley-Putnam University Press

【 摘 要 】

Being Muslim Being Scottish (BMBS) joins a family of IC interventions, Being Muslim Being British (BMBB) and Being Kenyan Being Muslim (BKBM). Like BMBB and BKBM, the newest family member, BMBS, is designed to increase cognitive complexity management by enabling participants to identify and access a wider range of their own values (value pluralism). Increased cognitive management capacities enable movement from rapid, inflexible, closed, black and white thinking that sees no validity in other viewpoints toward more deliberate, flexible, open thinking that can tolerate shades of grey, and see validity in other viewpoints without sacrificing one’s core values. Piloted in a large city in Scotland with a new model of participant involvement, participants represented both safeguarding practitioner and Muslim communities. Evaluated using the cross-culturally validated integrative complexity empirical measurement frame, statistical analyses showed significant gains in complex thinking about participants’ self-identified in and outgroups. These results predict more peaceful outcomes to intra- and inter-group conflict as participants recognize and access a wider range of responses choices in the face of difference and disagreement. Qualitative analyses found increased awareness of risks to radicalization, confidence to discuss controversial and sensitive topics, and communication among diverse communities for effective safeguarding. While these pilot results indicate that BMBS is effective at reducing violent extremism through increased integrative complexity management capacities and structured cross community-learning, further research is suggested.

【 授权许可】

Unknown