Detecting Online Extremism

Welcome to your journey towards understanding and combating violent extremism in Africa!

This five-hour course aims to provide you with a deep and comprehensive understanding of the complex challenges posed by violent extremism in Africa and the strategies for effectively countering it.

Get ready to unlock a wealth of knowledge as we explore the concepts of violent extremism, the dynamics of radicalisation, and the various approaches used to prevent and counter extremist ideologies. But that is not all, you will also gain insights into the realm of information disorder, learn to recognise influence operations (IO), and discover essential techniques for monitoring social media and dark social platforms.

Buckle up as we zoom into the Sahel region of West Africa, which has been affected by the presence of several extremist groups. As such, this massive open online course (MOOC) is tailored to be an awareness-raising endeavour, catering to individuals interested in peacebuilding, counterterrorism, community resilience, security, policy, and civil rights issues. This course is designed to be interdisciplinary and no prerequisites necessary – just an open mind and a thirst for knowledge!

By successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Gain insight into the multifaceted nature of violent extremism, deciphering its underlying causes and driving forces.
2. Understand the pivotal role played by information disorder in disseminating extremist narratives and ideologies.
3. Engage in countering violent extremism (CVE) practices by acquiring practical skills and tools for implementing CVE programmes and activities. 
4. Understand the importance of community involvement in CVE efforts and develop strategies for building trust and partnerships at the grassroots level.

Total time commitment: Five hours

Target audience: Government officials and policymakers, security and law enforcement personnel, civil society and nongovernmental organisations, educators and researchers, and anyone interested in CVE efforts.

Behind the course

This course is published under the Congress for Peace (COPP) training programme, which was supported by the US Department of State's Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (PDPA), in collaboration with Code for Africa (CfA) and GeoAnalytics Center (GeoA).

Need help navigating? Watch our video tutorial for guidance.

Also, monitor your progress through the course by checking your completion status and quiz scores. Set personal goals and celebrate your achievements along the way!