Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties

Digital communication technologies have become vital tools for violent extremist groups, enabling recruitment, ideological dissemination, and covert coordination. This study investigates how localised experiences and socio-political marginalisation intersect with emerging media use in Garissa and Ta...

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Main Authors: Sidha Zedekia Opondo, Israel Nyaburi Nyadera, Paul Njuguna, Elias Kimani Karuiru
Format: Article
Language:ces
Published: University of Defence 2025-06-01
Series:Obrana a Strategie
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.obranaastrategie.cz/en/archive/volume-2025/1-2025/articles/towards-a-mixed-scanning-approach-to-countering-violent-extremism.html
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author Sidha Zedekia Opondo
Israel Nyaburi Nyadera
Paul Njuguna
Elias Kimani Karuiru
author_facet Sidha Zedekia Opondo
Israel Nyaburi Nyadera
Paul Njuguna
Elias Kimani Karuiru
author_sort Sidha Zedekia Opondo
collection DOAJ
description Digital communication technologies have become vital tools for violent extremist groups, enabling recruitment, ideological dissemination, and covert coordination. This study investigates how localised experiences and socio-political marginalisation intersect with emerging media use in Garissa and Tana River counties, Kenya. Employing a mixed-methods design informed by diffusion of innovations and constructivist theories, the research analyses survey data from 277 at-risk youth, interviews with community leaders, and focus group discussions. Findings show that extremist actors strategically exploit encrypted and interactive platforms to circulate narratives of exclusion and identity-based grievances. Simultaneously, state-led counter-violent extremism (CVE) strategies lag in integrating media-responsive frameworks. The study advocates a mixed scanning approach that decentralises CVE communication, leverages clan structures, and engages youth on preferred digital platforms. By foregrounding media’s dual role as both vector and counterforce to radicalisation, the research offers policy-relevant insights for adaptive and locally grounded CVE programming.
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issn 1214-6463
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher University of Defence
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series Obrana a Strategie
spelling doaj-art-474eeef427824cd8bc8227a725a0b8442025-08-20T03:15:04ZcesUniversity of DefenceObrana a Strategie1214-64631802-71992025-06-012510321https://doi.org/10.3849/1802-7199.25.2025.01.3-22Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River CountiesSidha Zedekia Opondo0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1261-7070Israel Nyaburi Nyadera1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0432-6935Paul Njuguna2https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6663-8102Elias Kimani Karuiru3https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6119-5983National Defence College, National Defence University, Nairobi, KenyaNational Defence College, National Defence University, Nairobi, KenyaNational Defence College, National Defence University, Nairobi, KenyaNational Defence College, National Defence University, Nairobi, KenyaDigital communication technologies have become vital tools for violent extremist groups, enabling recruitment, ideological dissemination, and covert coordination. This study investigates how localised experiences and socio-political marginalisation intersect with emerging media use in Garissa and Tana River counties, Kenya. Employing a mixed-methods design informed by diffusion of innovations and constructivist theories, the research analyses survey data from 277 at-risk youth, interviews with community leaders, and focus group discussions. Findings show that extremist actors strategically exploit encrypted and interactive platforms to circulate narratives of exclusion and identity-based grievances. Simultaneously, state-led counter-violent extremism (CVE) strategies lag in integrating media-responsive frameworks. The study advocates a mixed scanning approach that decentralises CVE communication, leverages clan structures, and engages youth on preferred digital platforms. By foregrounding media’s dual role as both vector and counterforce to radicalisation, the research offers policy-relevant insights for adaptive and locally grounded CVE programming.https://www.obranaastrategie.cz/en/archive/volume-2025/1-2025/articles/towards-a-mixed-scanning-approach-to-countering-violent-extremism.htmlviolent extremism; emerging media; youth radicalisation; counter-violent extremism; kenya; mixed scanning.
spellingShingle Sidha Zedekia Opondo
Israel Nyaburi Nyadera
Paul Njuguna
Elias Kimani Karuiru
Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties
Obrana a Strategie
violent extremism; emerging media; youth radicalisation; counter-violent extremism; kenya; mixed scanning.
title Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties
title_full Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties
title_fullStr Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties
title_full_unstemmed Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties
title_short Towards a Mixed Scanning Approach to Countering Violent Extremism: Emerging Media and Youth Radicalisation in Kenya´s Garissa and Tana River Counties
title_sort towards a mixed scanning approach to countering violent extremism emerging media and youth radicalisation in kenya´s garissa and tana river counties
topic violent extremism; emerging media; youth radicalisation; counter-violent extremism; kenya; mixed scanning.
url https://www.obranaastrategie.cz/en/archive/volume-2025/1-2025/articles/towards-a-mixed-scanning-approach-to-countering-violent-extremism.html
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