Public perceptions of violent extremism and the prevention of violent extremism in Mauritania and Burkina Faso: What they tell us about the nature of the problem and opportunities for intervention

During the last decade the Sahel has been the region most affected by violent extremism. While research has examined the dynamics and drivers of that violence, little attention has been given to public perceptions either of the violence itself or of responses to the violence and how this can advance understanding of ‘the problem’ and possible response strategies. This article responds to this gap, focusing on the cases of Mauritania and Burkina Faso. It makes two key arguments. 1) Violent extremism is not only perceived as a threat to personal safety, but also as a cultural threat. This has potentially important implications for response strategies. 2) Public perceptions of programmes to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE) are broadly positive. This likely reflects a) the way P/CVE work has been integrated with other social programmes, and b) how such an approach aligns with public perceptions that violent extremism is primarily a product of structural drivers. Again, this has important implications for response strategies. The article draws on 31 qualitative scoping interviews, a learning history workshop with regional policy and practitioner experts, and a survey of 2477 respondents in Mauritania and 3977 respondents in Burkina Faso, administered in July – August 2022.