Migrants as suspects? A participatory consensus conference to promote well-being and inclusion

Abstract

One consequence of the securitarian approach against terrorism is the conflictual request both to “spot radicals” and build social cohesion in local communities. As a result, migrants’ communities feel discriminated and treated as a “suspect community”. The European Project PROVA addressed the prevention of violent radicalization in youth, involving professionals and representatives of local communities, and producing Guidelines in order to contrast the marginalization of suspected communities. The empirical research refers to an innovative way to carry out the Participatory Consensus Conference (PCC), used to define Guidelines aimed at identifying suitable recommendations, costs and benefits for the foreseen policies. Participants were 12 stakeholders (Local Authorities, Juvenile Justice System, NGOs, and Educational Institutions). Methods: the PCC used a scientific process for achieving an agreement with a participatory approach. The final outcomes consisted in the definition of recommendations on the social cohesion among citizens, and the sensitiveness toward migrants’ isolation and fear.

Keywords:

• Methodological approaches
• migrants
• participatory consensus conference
• radicalization
• suspect communities

Notes

1 The Project PROVA has been funded by EU under the Erasmus + Programme (580365-EPP-1-2016-1-IT-EPPKA3-IPI-SOC-IN 2016-2018). Disclaimer: This article reflects the views only of the authors, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein.