'Sustainable Development', Counter-terrorism and the Prevention of Violent Extremism: Right-wing Nationalism and Neo-jihadism in Context

The 2006 General Assembly adoption of the United Nations (UN) Global
Counter-terrorism strategy marked the first time all member states ratified a
collective counter-terrorism (CT) agenda. Building on the 2000 Millennium
Development Goals, the strategy incorporated Amartya Sen’s capabilitybased approach to development. This promised human-oriented and holistic methods for countering terrorism and violent extremism, in contrast to the
post-2001 ‘hard security’ context of the United States–led Global War on
Terror (GWOT). Although the first pillar of the strategy emphasised human
rights and social progress over isolated economic growth, poverty, violence
and retrogression in conflict zones since 2006 have led to the deaths of millions. Combined with resource scarcity and environmental devastation,
insurgency-related conflicts have resulted in 70 million people displaced
worldwide in 2019, while the politically violent phenomena of extreme rightwing nationalism and neo-jihadism remain prevalent. Reflecting on the social
and economic outcomes of the GWOT, this chapter evaluates developmentrelated discourses and activity in UN-led initiatives to counter and prevent
violent extremism and terrorism. In doing so, it accounts for the impacts of
UN CT measures on contemporary patterns ‘in phenomena described in
policy arenas as ‘violent extremism’ and ‘terrorism’, including ‘neo-jihadism’
and right-wing extremism, in Global North and Global South contexts.