Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Plus Ça Change, Plus C’Est La Même Chose: The Introduction Of ‘Soft’ De-Radicalisation Policy In France, Isobel Monique Coen

Senior Projects Spring 2018

This paper analyzes the 2015 introduction of ‘soft’ de-radicalisation policies in France, which were intended as a departure from traditional security-based ‘hard’ policies, and assesses the role of the French government as an actor in de-radicalisation efforts. The paper will look at key facets of French political culture, including laïcité and communitarianism, and the experience of Muslim communities in France. In evaluating the ‘soft’ measures introduced in France, particularly the Numéro Vert and de-radicalisation centers, the paper identifies that ‘soft’ measures rely on the same security and police-based measures as ‘hard’ policies, and, in turn, have the same effect on …