A Critical Assessment of the European Cultural Approach to Counter Terrorism

The wave of jihadism which affects western countries since 11 September 2001, has pushed governments to pass repressive legislation, which restricts the fundamental rights and freedoms. Complementing this, have been taken true warfare actions to counter this phenomenon in the countries of origin. However, little or nothing has been done to try to understand why many European actors – namely grown and often born in western countries – turned themselves into ‘lone wolves’ or ‘foreign fighters’. What drove them to embrace the religious fanaticism that leads to terror- ism, and leaving their European homes to fight in the milita of the Islamic State? This essay aims to give a ‘cultural’ approach to the phenomenon of terrorism in Europe, and suggests a new holistic and comprehensive strategy to counter it.