Preventing Violent Extremism in Norwegian Municipalities. Between Political Visions of Security and Local Expectations of Social Welfare

This paper presents data from the national grant scheme for preventing radicalization and violent extremism in Norwegian municipalities. The findings suggest that municipal preventive needs are coalescing with the functions and practices of local welfare services. Another finding is that preventive projects prioritize competence development among first-line workers. There is a general dearth of effective evaluation in local preventive work in Norway. However, communities prone to extremist milieus tend to be more specific in describing how violent extremism is being prevented. On the other hand, several communities apply for funding through the grant scheme without being impacted by violent extremism. Thus, for these communities, the grant scheme is a particular avenue for ensuring basic welfare services and preventing extremism in local Norwegian communities.

Keywords: Preventing violent extremism, Security, Norway, Terrorism, QDA, Counterterrorism.