The Context of Government Agencies’ Efforts to Counter Violent Extremism: An evaluation with the Nordic Resistance Movement as a case study
Publish date: 2023-06-12
Report number: FOI-R--5469--SE
Pages: 161
Written in: Swedish
Keywords:
- evaluation
- extremism
- violent extremism
- rule of law
- ideology
- democracy
- violence capital
- national socialism
- Nordic Resistance Movement
Abstract
The report is an account of an evaluation assignment from the Centre against Violent Extremism (CVE) at the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå), with a focus on the context of efforts to counter violent extremism. The evaluation highlights the conceptual world that has formed the basis for the counter-efforts, the legal framework that has surrounded those efforts, and the specific challenges that have arisen in dealing with ideologically motivated violent organizations. The evaluation's focus is set on the prerequisites for the Swedish Police Authority, the Swedish Security Service, Social Services, the Swedish National Agency for Education, and the Swedish Center against Violent Extremism. A case study of agencies' efforts as they relate to the Nordic Resistance Movement, a revolutionary national socialist organization, highlights challenges that are both conceptual and legal. The evaluation notes that a number of concepts central to the effort - including "violent extremism" and "violent milieu" - lack common definitions as well as legal standing. Conceptual and legal ambiguities also surround the relationship between violent extremism and terrorism; what it means to "belong" to or "promote" a violent group or ideology; the constitutional protection enjoyed by actors operating in violent environments; and how government agencies can and should relate to political opinions and ideologies. These ambiguities have made practical operations more difficult, especially in terms of preventive measures.The evaluation further notes that organizations based on ideology have posed a particular challenge for the authorities, conceptually as well as legally, especially in terms of the dividing line between legitimate and criminal activity. The authorities' ability to cooperate has also been negatively affected by these ambiguities. The report concludes with an account of issues identified as recurring and central.