7.1.1 Developing Human Capital for Countering Terrorism and Ideological Extremism with Consideration of Eurasian Experience

Research Area 7. Human Сapital and Security in the Global Context  → Research Program 7.1 Human Being and Countering the Threats of Global Destabilization

Project period

2020-2025

Context of Research Project within a Subject of Human Capital

In the studies of counter-terrorism issues, it is supposed to make a turn towards an accentuated study of human capital as a tool for countering extremist ideologies and practices.

The research project Developing Human Capital for Countering Terrorism and Ideological Extremism with Consideration of Eurasian Experience focuses on analyzing the relationship between radicalization and the level of human capital development, identifying algorithms for the formation of informal authorities and the reasons for their popularity, identifying bottlenecks in the educational space and systematizing contradictions between secular and religious values. The project also aims to fill certain gaps in the understanding of the terrorist and extremist phenomenon in Eurasia and strategies to combat this phenomenon.

Project Aim

Study the human capital as a tool for spreading radicalism and countering extremist ideologies and practices in Eurasia.

Project Objectives

1. Analyze algorithms for the formation of informal authorities in Muslim networks, identification of the reasons for their popularity
2. Systematize contradictions between secular and religious values in the studied regions
3. Identify the main trends in the development of terrorist threats in Russia (in the republics of the North Caucasus Federal District and the Southern Federal District), the countries of Transcaucasia (Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan) and determining the role of human capital in these processes
4. Compare the main trends in the development of terrorist threats in Russia, the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, the role of the "human factor" in these processes, a comparative analysis of the experience of these states in countering terrorist and extremist challenges, the ratio of the role of external and internal factors in the radicalization of the population, the ratio of factors of social discontent and socio-psychological aspects of the life of citizens in Eurasian countries

Key Findings

2020

A general idea of the structure and functioning of modern Islamic networks, their interaction with “official” structures (muftiats, Islamic educational institutions, foundations, etc.) has been formed, an informal leader has been defined, the factors of his popularity in Muslim networks have been listed, algorithms for his formation have been formulated.

2021

The experience of public investments in human capital has been studied and the relationship of such investments with the number of terrorist acts has been revealed. Using the example of a study of Russian state investments in human capital, in particular, in Kabardino-Balkaria, it has been concluded that the number of investments in education is directly related to the number of terrorist attacks: investments in human capital (specifically in education) directly affect the deradicalization of the population.

Conferences

Research Seminar Human Capital Development in the North Caucasus: Impact on Deradicalization (RU) (Moscow, Russia, December 14, 2021)

XXII April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development  (Moscow, Russia, April 4-22, 2021): Special Round Table ‘New Approaches in Washington and Moscow to Security and Arms Control Issues: 100 First Days of the American Administration?’(14/04/2021)