Let’s talk about terrorism

ABSTRACT What is at stake when educators are asked to deploy vigilant surveillance against students considered to be at risk of becoming a terrorist? This article explores the growing relationship between education and terrorism by focusing on how schools can contribute to reducing fears of terrorism. Rather than profiling future terrorists among their students, the argument is put forward that educators must encourage deliberative agonistic discussions about terrorism in the classroom. Ultimately, this can help students to build resilience against terror fear, which might serve as a bulwark against a range of social negatives. Examples from the empirical literature are offered to highlight how education can reduce terror fear by encouraging discussions about terrorism in schools, which can also have a transformative effect on helping students to unlearn or disengage from extreme ideals and behaviours. In the strand of education-terrorism literature, this could well touch upon some of the most important aspects within educational efforts to reduce the fear of terror and perhaps even reduce terrorism itself.