Unregulated religious spaces in public universities in Ghana: evidence of the radicalisation of young Muslim students

Abstract

ABSTRACT Why do young Muslim students who live in a relatively peaceful and pluralistic society like Ghana embrace extremist ideologies? This paper examines the radicalisation of young Muslims in Ghanaian universities. It analyses the different structural and managerial models adopted by three of the oldest public universities to govern students’ religious activities on campus. We draw on data from several sources to argue that the weaknesses of the management of religious spaces in university campuses and the marginalisation of Muslim students’ association in university chaplaincies contributes to the radicalisation of young Muslims in Ghana. The unregulated sacred spaces encourage students to search for religious resources on the internet; a significant source that helps to radicalise young Muslims in institutions of higher learning.