Salam-Online. Insights into a Research Workshop on Counter-Speech against Salafism and Islamic Extremism at the Center for Islamic Theology in Münster, Germany.

Basic data for this talk

Type of talk: practical Talk

Name der Vortragenden: Klapp, Marcel

Date of talk: 10/06/2017

Talk language: English

Information about the event

Name of the event: Interdisciplinary Conference on Hate Speech: Definitions, Interpretations and Practices 2017

Event period: 09/06/2017 - 11/06/2017

Event location: Classic Hotel, Nikosia, Zypern

Event website: http://reportinghate.eu/contact2017/programme/

Organised by: University of Cyprus

Abstract

The growing Salafi-scene and its connections to violent terrorism increasingly brings forth feelings of insecurity in German society. Consequently there is a growing expectation that Islamic education in public schools will contribute to the prevention of radicalization processes. Therefore the Center for Islamic Theology at the University of Münster, Germany, implemented a pilot project called Salam-Online from September to December 2016. The Institute trains approximately 600 Students to become future teachers of Islamic education in Germany. The overall goals of the Salam-Online project were to sensitize the students for dealing with online hate speech among Muslims on the one hand and to produce applicable materials for the classroom on the other. Although the focus was on Online Hate Speech, the project was also designed to give a broad contextualization of the phenomenon and its interconnections to e.g. propaganda and radicalization. Therefore inputs on theological arguments against Salafism, processes of radicalization or media criticism were given by external experts. The divisive rhetoric of hate speech was identified as creating a climate fostering youths susceptibility for radical ideas. Therefore, the participants’ task was to research examples online, analyze pedagogical demands and, according to these, develop materials for the classroom to be published afterwards.

Keywords: Pedagogy; Islamic Religious Education; Islamic Theology; Online Hate Speech; Salafism; Extremism; Islamism; Propaganda; Prevention; Radicalization