Governing through the prevention of extremism. The Security Council’s P/CVE as a dispositif of liberal government

Abstract

This article analyses the UN Security Council’s Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism (P/CVE) as a Foucauldian dispositif of liberal government. Centred on early-detection, P/CVE tasks civil society with the prevention of extremism at a social level. In this sense, as the article illustrates, P/CVE displays features of liberal governmentality as it relies on civil society’s liberty and self-regulation mechanisms. Furthermore, as the article shows, P/CVE also works as a liberal mechanism of subjectification as it sketches the ‘(undesirable) extremists’ and the ‘(desirable) moderates’. These subjectivities emerge at the intersection of various global power structures (re)assembled by the same dispositif. Therefore, analysing P/CVE as a Foucauldian dispositif of liberal government allows us to grasp how power circulates in society in heterarchical, subtle ways. Moreover, it also uncovers how liberal government works through the (re)production of hierarchical, racialised, and gendered social structures in its differentiations of the (governed) freedom produced.

The author would like to thank the six reviewers and the managing editors for their very generous reading and valuable and insightful comments on the various versions of this manuscript. She also would like to thank Taif Alkhudary for the comments on the final version. She also would like to thank all the participants to the EISA- EWIS P/CVE workshop I co-organised with Dr Amna Kaleem in Thessaloniki in July 2022 where I discussed the first version of this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 I am extremely grateful to the six reviewers and the two managing editors for their help in refining my application of Foucault.

2 I would like to thank reviewer 6 for the suggestions made on this specific point.

3 I would like to thank reviewer 1 for all the suggestions made on this section and for helping me developing it.

4 For example, Orientalist discourses.

5 United Nations Security Council, Meetings. N.d. http://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick/meetings.

6 Representative of Somalia, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 35.

7 Representative of Lithuania, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 15.

8 Representative of Saudi Arabia, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 30.

9 Representative of Turkey, S/PV.6034, Resumption, 09.12.2008, 11.

10 Representative of France, S/PV.5104,17.12.2004, 7.

11 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), 1.

12 Representative of Kyrgyzstan, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 55.

13 Representative of Malaysia, S/PV. 7690, 11.05.2016, 14.

14 Representative of Senegal, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 22.

15 Representative of Russia, S/PV.6765, 04.05.2012, 10.

16 President of the Republic of Chad, Ms. Idriss Deby Itno, S/PV.7272, 24.09.2014, 7.

17 United Nations. N.d. “CVE”. https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/focus-areas/countering-violent-extremism/.

18 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1624 (2005), 1.

19 United Nations. N.d. “CVE”. https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/focus-areas/countering-violent-extremism/.

20 UNSC Resolution 2178 (2014), 2.

21 UNSC Resolution 2178 (2014), 6.

22 UNSC Resolution 2170 (2014), 2.

23 UNSC Resolution 2195 (2014), 2.

24 UNSC Presidential Statement 23 (2014), 3.

25 See, for example, UNSC Meeting 7316 (19.11.2014) on ‘Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. International Cooperation on Combating Terrorism and Violent Extremism’.

26 UN. N.d. “Electronic detail survey”, https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/electronic-detailed-implementation-survey].

27 UN. n.d. “Global Implementation survey”. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/global-implementation-surveys

28 UN. N.d., “Foreign Terrorist Fighters” https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/foreign-terrorist-fighters https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/countering-violent-extremism-and-terrorist-narratives

29 UN. N.d. “Resources”. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/resources

30 https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/press-kits

31 UN. N.d. “PCVE”. https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/plan-of-action-to-prevent-violent-extremism

32 UN. N.d. “PCVE”. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/countering-violent-extremism-and-terrorist-narratives

33 Representative of Jordan, S/2021/48, 92.

34 S/2021/972, 18.

35 Representative of France, S/PV.8839, 19.08.2021, 53.

36 Representative of France, S/PV.7962, 08/06/2017, 11.

37 Representative of Bolivia, S/PV.8330, 23/08/2018, 18.

38 Representative of Jordan, S/2021/48, 90.

39 Representative of Lithuania 7316 19.11.2014 p. 15

40 President of the Republic of Lithuania, Ms. Dalia Grybauskaitė, S/PV.7272, 24.09.2014. p. 8.

41 UNSC Presidential Statement 23 (2014), 3.

42 Representative of Spain, S/PV.7453, 29.05.2015, 17.

43 Representative of Estonia, S/PV.7670 resumption, 14.04.2016, 33.

44 Secretary-General 7453 29.05.2015, 2 Exceptional.

45 Representative of Bolivia, S/PV.8116, 28.11.2017, 10.

46 Representative of Uruguay, s/PV.7962, 08/06/2017, 7

47 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1963 (2010), 1.

48 Representative of Venezuela, S/PV.7670, 14.01.2016, 23.

49 Representative of Ukraine, S/PV.7962, 08.06.2017, 14.

50 Representative of New Zealand, S/PV.7453, 29.05.2015, 15.

51 Representative of Angola, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 26.

52 Representative of India, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 48.

53 Representative of Sweden, S/PV.7962, 08.06.2017, 6.

54 Representative of Estonia, S/PV.7670 resumption, 14.04.2016, 33.

55 Representative of the UK, S/PV.8059, 28.09.2017, 11.

56 Representative of the Netherlands, S/PV.7670, 14.04.2016, 19.

57 Representative of France, S/PV.7962, 08.06.2017, 12.

58 Representative of Philippines, S/PV.7670 resumption, 14.04.2016, 4.

59 Representative of UK, S/PV.8116, 28.11.2017, 12.

60 Representative of Canada, S/PV. 7316, 19.11.2014, 68.

61 Representative of Italy, S/PV.6034, 09.12.2008, 5.

62 Representative of the UK, S/PV.8330, 23.08.2018, 9.

63 Representative of Jordan, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 21.

64 UNSC Presidential Statement 45 (2008), 1.

65 UNSC Resolution 2178 (2014), art. 24, 8.

66 UNSC Presidential Statement 6 (2016), 1.

67 UN. N.d. “Narratives” https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/www.un.org.securitycouncil.ctc/files/files/documents/2021/Jan/cted_analytical_brief_countering_terrorist_narratives_online_and_offline.pdf

68 UN. N.d. “Global CT”. https://www.un.org/counterterrorism/global-ct-compact

69 UNSC Presidential Statement 6 (2016), 2.

70 See annex 1. For example, meeting 7670^th was named ‘Countering the narratives and ideologies of terrorism’. See also United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement 6 (2016), 1.

71 UNSC Document 375 (2017).

72 CIFCTN, UNSC S/2017/375.

73 UN. N.d. “Narratives” https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/sites/www.un.org.securitycouncil.ctc/files/files/documents/2021/Jan/cted_analytical_brief_countering_terrorist_narratives_online_and_offline.pdf

74 UNSC Resolution 2354 (2017), art. 4, (c), 2.

75 Representative of Estonia, S/PV.7670 resumption, 14.04.2016, 33.

76 Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Mr. Alain Le Roy, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 39.

77 Security Council Deputy Secretary General, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 3.

78 UNSC Resolution 2396 (2017), 10.

79 Representative of the United States of America, S/PV.8116, 28.11.2017, 9.

80 Representative of India, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 28.

81 UNSC Resolution 2254 (2017), 2 (b), 3.

82 UNSC Presidential Statement 6 (2016), 3.

83 UNSC Presidential Statement 11 (2015), 4.

84 UNSC Resolution 2396 (2017), 5.

85 UNSC Resolution 2195 (2014), 3.

86 CIFCTN, UNSC S/2017/375.

87 Representative of Somalia, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 35.

88 UNSC Resolution 2178 (2014) art. 16, 6.

89 Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Wang Yi, S/PV. 7272, 24.11.2014, 18.

90 Representative of Rwanda, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 13.

91 Prime Minister of Canada, S/PV.7272, 24.11.2014, 25.

92 Representative of New Zealand, S/PV.6900, 15.01.2013, 3.

93 Representative of Rwanda, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 13.

94 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 9.

95 Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada, S/PVE.8496, 53.

96 Representative of Malaysia, S/PV.7670, 14.04.2016, 8.

97 Representative of Tunisia, S/PV.7670, 14.04.2016, 37.

98 Representative of Malaysia, S/PV.7670, 14.04.2016, 8.

99 Representative of Iraq, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 43.

100 Representative of Morocco, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 77.

101 Representative of Indonesia, S/PV.6900 resumption, 15.01.2013, 12.

102 Representative of Japan, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2015, 17.

103 Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Jan Eliasson, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2015, 4.

104 Representative of Mali, S/PV.7351, 19.12.2014, 44.

105 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 8.

106 Representative of India, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 48.

107 UN. N.d. “Gender and CT”. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/integrating-gender-counter-terrorism

108 UN. N.d. “Press Kits”. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/press-kits.

109 UN. N.d. “Understanding Foreign Terrorist Fighters demographics: women and girls”. https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ctc/content/press-kits

110 Representative of Denmark, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 37.

111 UNSC Resolution 2242 (2015). This Resolution was based on UNSC’s Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace, and Security.

112 UNSC Resolution 2242 (2015), 2.

113 Sir John Sawers, S/PV.6034, 3.

114 Representative of Australia, S/PV.7316, 19.11.2014, 9.

115 UNSC Resolution 2396 (2017), 1.

116 Representative of Indonesia, S/PVE.7690, 11.05.2016, 51.

117 Representative of Japan, S/PV.7670, 14.04.2016, 21.

118 Representative of Colombia, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 44.

119 The Deputy Secretary-General, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 2.

120 The Deputy Secretary-General, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 2.

121 Representative of Brazil, S/PV.7670, resumption, 14.04.2016, 5.

122 Permanent Observer of the African Union to the UN, S/PV.7351, 19.12.2014, 5.

123 Representative of Australia, S/PV.6900, 2013, 24.

124 Mr. Mohi El-Din Afifi, Secretary-General of Al Azhar Islamic Research Academy, S/PV. 7690, 11.05.2016, 4.

125 UN Secretary-General, S/PV.6765, 2021.

126 Representative of Afghanistan, S/PV.6900, resumption, 25.

127 Mr. Mohi El-Din Afifi, Secretary-General of Al Azhar Islamic Research Academy, S/PV. 7690, 11.05.2016, 4.

128 UNSC Resolution 2250 (2015), art. 1, 3.

129 UNSC Presidential Statement 11 (2015), 3.

130 The Deputy Secretary-General, S/PV.7690, 11.05.2016, 2.

131 I’d like to thank reviewer 1 to help me with some of the points in the conclusion.

Additional information

Funding

No funding needs to be reported for this work.

Notes on contributors

Alice Martini

Alice Martini is a Lecturer in International Relations at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. Among other works, she is the author of The UN and counter-terrorism. Global hegemonies, power and identities (Routledge, 2021) and co-editor of Encountering Extremism. Theoretical issues and Local Challenges (with K. Ford and R. Jackson, MUP: 2020) and Contemporary Reflections on CTS (with R. da Silva, Routledge, 2023). Email: [email protected]