Second-Generation Muslim Youth Between Perception and Change: A Case Study on the Prevention of Radicalization

Abstract

The following article presents the results of a research-action and an online communication campaign on the prevention of radicalization of second-generation young Italian Muslims as a part of a project called “Oltre” (the Italian acronym means “Beyond”) financed by European Union. After a short presentation of the four steps of the prevention communication model PKIC, a deepening on the radicalization factors, and a focus on the research-action methodology, the results of the research on some fundamental issues like the relationship with family and the relation with media and social media of the young interviewees, are shown. Finally, in the last part of the article, the interventions carried out by the second-generation young moderators of the social media campaign carried on Facebook and Instagram, are presented in the framework of the online communication campaign born out of the research-action to discuss if and how a prevention process and consequent change with regard to the radicalization factors took place.