Biographical narrative conversation outperforms argumentative persuasion in deradicalization work
Evidence
For social worker Fabian Reicher, too, the focus is on the relationship. As an employee of the Austrian Extremism Information Centre, his work focuses on prevention and exit work with radicalized and at-risk youth. He likes to use biographical narrative conversation techniques . Here, the focus moves away from the argumentative-judgmental attempt to convince to telling a person’s story: “How did you come to this attitude? How did you become the person you are today?” In this approach, you work a lot with your own values, ideas, questions, uncertainties, difficulties, with your own biography. Authenticity is important and also offering yourself as a role model. — Holm Gero Hümmler, Ulrike Schiesser, Fact and Prejudice, 705
Categorization
- XREF: Recalls the book’s earlier themes about honest personal development versus cult manipulation by inverting the technique: narrative exchange instead of guru assertiveness. — connects to: Interviews probed deradicalization as life-course narrative from early life to exit — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 270