The Paris terrorist attacks of 13 November brought home in the most shocking manner possible the challenges posed by jihadism to European security. The horrific events underlined the extent to which the continent has become a target of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS), and how the rather sophisticated modus operandi of the attackers represents a shift away from ‘lone wolf’-styled actions as witnessed earlier in Tunisia and indeed Paris itself at the beginning of this year. The attacks have also placed in stark relief the asymmetrical nature of ISIS’s ‘war machine’.

Looking beyond the obvious security dimension at the European level, the attacks also underlined how the radicalisation of Europeans represents a multi-dimensional and far-reaching challenge. The issue has put into question the capacity of European governments and societies to integrate Muslim citizens, while at the same time creating a sense of shared community values and interests.

The time has therefore come for stock-taking and reflection on jihadist radicalisation and its various policy implications for Europe. This Policy Dialogue, jointly organised by the European Policy Centre (EPC) and the European Foundation for Democracy (EFD), sought to address key questions such as the root causes of jihadist radicalisation, how these interact with factors such as culture, identity and socio-economic conditions and what European governments, societies and indeed Muslim countries can do to help effectively tackle this phenomenon.