What role does religion really play in violent extremism? It is a question that often leads to quick and uncomfortable answers. Religion is frequently seen as a driver of violence; something that needs to be managed, countered, or kept at a distance from peacebuilding efforts. Yet a new research report by Utrecht University suggests that this view is too limited to fully understand what is happening on the ground.
Based on extensive field research in Kenya and Nigeria, including more than 150 interviews and focus group discussions with religious leaders and community actors, the study offers a grounded analysis of how violent extremism develops and how it can be prevented. At the heart of the research lies a clear insight: religion is not only part of the problem, it is also part of the solution. Ignoring that complexity risks overlooking one of the most influential forces shaping both vulnerability to violence and opportunities for prevention.
The research was carried out as part of the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA), a five-year international programme bringing together 46 civil society organisations across seven countries, working towards peaceful and just societies where freedom of religion and belief is respected. The report was written by Simon Polinder, in close collaboration with Maureen Nyarangi, Ismail Misbahu, Eva Krah, and Beatrice de Graaf, reflecting a collaboration between researchers from the Netherlands and partner countries.
The study represents one of the most in-depth research efforts within JISRA, bringing together years of experience and learning from the programme and translating them into a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play. Mensen met een Missie helped link the research process to partner organisations, who were actively involved as interlocutors and participated in validation sessions, ensuring that the findings were grounded in and tested against local realities.
Violent extremism is rooted in everyday realities
One of the key findings is that violent extremism is rarely experienced as a purely ideological phenomenon. While ideology plays a role, the people interviewed describe a more gradual process, shaped by social, economic, and relational pressures.
Participants speak about young people who feel excluded, communities where trust is eroding, and families under strain. They point to unemployment, limited prospects, and experiences of injustice as factors that create fertile ground for extremist narratives. In this context, violent extremism does not appear suddenly. It grows over time, often in places where tensions are already present but not yet visible as conflict.
This perspective shifts the focus of prevention. Effective responses cannot be limited to countering ideology alone, but must also engage with the broader conditions in which people become vulnerable to it.
Religion as a space of influence
Within these dynamics, religion plays a central role. The research shows that religious actors (both formal leaders and informal community figures) are deeply embedded in everyday life and shape how communities respond to tension and change. They influence how people interpret events, understand moral boundaries, and make decisions in moments of uncertainty.
This influence cuts both ways. Religious narratives can be used to justify violence, but also to challenge it. The same structures that may reinforce division in one context can foster dialogue and reconciliation in another. This dual role makes religion not a peripheral factor, but a central element in both the development and prevention of violent extremism. Understanding violent extremism therefore requires engaging with how religion functions in practice, and with the actors who shape its meaning in everyday life.
Prevention happens earlier than we often recognize
Another important insight concerns timing. If violent extremism develops gradually, then prevention does not begin at the moment of crisis. It begins much earlier, in the everyday interactions where tensions first emerge and influence is still possible.
The research shows that religious actors are already active in this space. They are often the first to notice changes in behaviour or rising tensions. They are approached for advice and mediation, support young people who feel disconnected, and challenge harmful interpretations of religion from within their own traditions.
Much of this work is informal and largely invisible in formal policy frameworks. It takes place in relationships, conversations, and long-term engagement. Yet this is precisely where some of the most effective forms of prevention take place.
A gap between policy and practice
Despite this reality, the research identifies a persistent disconnect between how violent extremism is addressed in policy and how it is experienced on the ground. Many approaches remain focused on top-down, security-driven interventions, which do not always connect to the dynamics described by participants.
As a result, the role of religious actors is often only partially recognised. They may be included in specific activities or consultations, but their broader influence and ongoing work are not always fully acknowledged or supported. This creates a gap between where prevention is already taking place and where resources and attention are directed.
The implication is clear: when prevention efforts are not aligned with lived realities, their effectiveness is limited. Strengthening the role of local actors is therefore not an optional addition, but a necessary condition for more effective approaches.
Recognising diversity in religious leadership
The research also highlights the diversity within religious leadership. It brings attention to a wide range of actors, from highly visible leaders to informal community figures, and points to differences in gender, age, and influence.
This diversity reflects how influence actually operates within communities. Prevention is not carried by a single type of leader, but by a network of relationships and actors, each playing a different role. Recognising this complexity is essential for designing approaches that are both effective and inclusive.
Why this research matters
This study provides insights for policymakers, practitioners, and donors working at the intersection of peacebuilding, religion, and freedom of religion and belief. It offers not only a deeper understanding of how violent extremism develops, but also a clearer picture of where and how prevention is already taking place.
At the same time, it raises a critical question: to what extent do current strategies reflect the realities they aim to address? If prevention efforts remain disconnected from the environments in which people live and make decisions, their impact will remain limited.
Looking ahead
Understanding violent extremism requires more than analysing threats from a distance. It requires attention to the realities in which it develops, and to the people who are already working to prevent it. This research brings those realities into focus. It highlights the importance of engaging with religion as a lived and influential force, and of recognising the actors who shape it within their communities.
The challenge now is to ensure that this understanding is translated into policy and practice. Because prevention does not begin with systems alone, it begins with people – and with the ways they shape meaning, trust, and choices within their communities.
