Social Work and Countering Violent Extremism

This book introduces social work audiences to the current field of countering violent extremism (CVE), offering an international perspective on its theories, approaches, and prevention and intervention practices.

Addressing CVE from a social work perspective is an innovative and timely undertaking. Across the globe, social workers are key stakeholders in the field of CVE and many CVE programs employ social workers to practice in different intervention programs. On a theoretical and conceptual level, due to how the field of CVE has emerged in many countries, social work has to date been largely absent from CVE research and knowledge production. This book fills this gap by covering the following areas:

• Bridging the Gap between Social Work and Countering Violent Extremism
• An Overview of Radicalization and Extremism Terminology and Theory
• Disengagement and Exiting from Violent Extremism: Holistic Assessment, Case Management, and Clinical Practice
• Multi-Agency Collaboration, Youth Radicalization, Family Interventions, and Justice Settings
• Outlook and Opportunities for Social Work and Beyond

Social Work and Countering Violent Extremism: Case Management, Direct Practice and Multi-Sectoral Collaboration offers the first in-depth orientation for social workers involved in CVE efforts. Designed for social workers and other practitioners directly engaged in CVE, this book illustrates how core CVE intervention methods—such as casework, assessment, case management, and community practice—are rooted in social work principles. It is equally relevant for professionals across sectors who might encounter radicalization in their work, including those in schools, community organizations, local agencies, mental health, and other frontline settings. By highlighting social workers’ unique skills in clinical practice, social reintegration, and building community resilience, this book positions the profession at the forefront of preventing and addressing violent extremism. This book contributes to the professionalization of the field and is an essential resource for social work and CVE scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

David Yuzva Clement, PhD, MSW, MA, is an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University’s School of Social Work, an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, and a Research Advisor at the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence. His current research examines the nexus between social work and preventing and countering violent extremism; it also advances knowledge on children, youth, and families affected by violent extremism and extremist ideologies online, and explores the interplay between community organizing, civic education, and democracy.

Ruxandra M. Gheorghe, MSW, MA, RSW, is a Registered Social Worker and Research Advisor at the Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence. She is also a Lecturer and Doctoral Candidate at Carleton University’s School of Social Work. She is interested in intertwining the field of social work with preventing and countering violent extremism. Her current doctoral research is concerned with articulations of toxic masculinity in direct therapeutic practice. She has dedicated her research, practice, and advocacy to community well-being across multiple sectors in Canada and abroad.

Dennis Walkenhorst, PhD, MA, is a Professor of Social Work at the IU International University of Applied Sciences, Leipzig, Germany. His research examines countering violent extremism in social work, with a focus on case management, counselling, social diagnostics, and evaluation. From 2017 to 2023, he headed the Research Department at Violence Prevention Network and served as Founder and Scientific Director of the Center for Applied Research on Deradicalization (modus|zad) in Berlin.

Jade Hutchinson, PhD, MA, holds a Cotutelle Doctorate from the Department of Security Studies and Criminology at Macquarie University (Australia) and the Centre for Media and Journalism Studies at the University of Groningen (The Netherlands). Jade is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Security Studies at Charles University (Czech Republic). Jade’s research is focused on countering extremism and violence emerging from digital media ecosystems and understanding the effects of early childhood and adolescent exposure to online extremist materials.

Andrew McKenzie, MSW, RSW, has worked on the frontlines of the mental health and justice fields for over a decade. He first served as a Professional Assessor and Psychotherapist in youth and family mental health centres, conducting risk assessments for youth who had perpetrated sexual harm. For four years he supervised Toronto’s countering violent extremism program, Estimated Time of Arrival, an interdisciplinary team widely recognized for successfully rehabilitating individuals at risk of ideologically based violence. Andrew is now completing his PhD in Social Work at the University of Toronto, Canada, with a focus on training social workers to meet the rising challenge of a polarized population.