Even though the federal Conservatives have previously scoffed at the need to identify the “root causes� of terrorism, the government has just commissioned several new studies on the topic.
According to a request for proposals posted online on Wednesday, Public Safety Canada is looking to carry out five research projects delving into such areas as the “psychology� of violent extremism, the role of the Internet in radicalization, and the extent to which women become involved in terror movements.
“We are funding research that is studying the participation of western extremist travellers in the conflict in Syria, how they communicate, how they travel. This research will give us the building blocks that we can use to develop better strategies to stop radicalization before it ever manifests itself,� Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney told the House of Commons public safety committee on Wednesday.
The call for studies comes at a time when western governments are becoming increasingly concerned about the potential threat posed by radicalized individuals going abroad to fight with terrorist groups and who return home.
There are 63 active national security investigations targeting 90 individuals, including those suspected of planning to travel abroad and those who have returned, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson told the committee Wednesday.
This week, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation set up a web page appealing to the public for tips about Americans who have travelled overseas to engage in combat with terrorist groups.
According to Public Safety Canada’s request for proposals, the government is seeking to understand whether there are any patterns that might explain how groups form, gain support and turn violent.
One study will examine what causes people to choose violent extremism. Ideological extremism, moral outrage and the influence of charismatic leaders are commonly linked with terrorism but rarely translate into violence, according to one of the government postings. To what extent could psychology or social psychology be factors?
Another question the government is looking to answer is the extent to which the Internet plays a role in radicalization. Some experts have said that face-to-face relationships with influential figures likely plays a central role, while others have said the Internet should not be discounted, especially when it comes to youth.
Yet another study will look at the circumstances in which women are recruited into extremist movements and the role that they can play in countering such movements.
One study will look squarely at how groups acquire, move and use funds to support recruitment and other terrorist-related activities.
Each of the studies is being funded by the Kanishka Project, a five-year $10-million initiative announced in 2011 aimed at terrorism research.
Conservatives have previously derided the need for such studies.
Last year, the Conservatives slammed Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau when he suggested it was important to look at the root causes of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Following the arrests of two men in an alleged plot to derail a Via Rail passenger train, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said now was not the time to “commit sociology.�
Just last month, in a speech to party faithful, Harper described the ideology of the Islamic State extremist group as “evil� and “vile,� and said it had nothing to do with  “social exclusion� or “root causes.�
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