Prevent: the shifting parameters of UK counter-terrorism

The revised Prevent strategy of 2011 emphasised ideology itself as a cause for concern even where it is acknowledged that such doctrine is in and of itself non-violent. Anthony Richards argues that as the terms ‘terrorism’, ‘radicalisation’ and ‘extremism’ have increasingly become merged into a single discursive framework, UK counter-terrorism has lost its focus in recent years. Not only are sections of our society now regarded as part of the ‘terrorist problem’ by virtue of the way they think ideologically, but it excludes from cooperation the very people who might be best placed as dissuaders of terrorism.