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Mental Health as a Bridge to Peace
Peace, Security and Countering Boko Haram
Mental Health as a Bridge to Peace
Peace, Security and Countering Boko Haram
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Description
The Boko Haram insurgency in north-east Nigeria has created a situation of acute and enduring humanitarian need, with mass civilian kidnappings, an estimated 38,000 deaths, and over 3 million displaced by the conflict. This presents a critical leadership challenge, which in the past, has been answered unsuccessfully by state-sanctioned military responses.
In this highly original, multidisciplinary book, Fatima Akilu – who has been tasked with designing Nigeria's countering violent extremism (CVE) programme – argues for a radically different approach, one that treats violent extremism as a public health crisis and trauma as a peace and security issue.
Drawing on many years of expertise working in psychology, health and education, Akilu has reimagined what leadership looks like when it comes to countering violent extremism through centring trauma. The book explores how mental health discourse can be used as a vehicle to strive towards peace in CVE work. Ultimately, this reveals the essential connection between a relational leadership approach and countering violent extremism through centring trauma, both in Nigeria and beyond.
Accessibility Information
Additional accessibility information
- PDF/UA-2, 1.4
- accessibility@bloomsbury.com
Hazards
The publication contains no hazards
Support for non-visual reading
Has alternative text descriptions for images
Navigation
- Page list to go to pages from the print source version
- Elements such as headings, tables, etc for structured navigation
- All or substantially all textual matter is arranged in a single logical reading order
Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction: Blurring Boundaries, Stretching Silos: Towards An Interdisciplinary Approach to Violent Extremism
Chapter One: Meaningful Accidents: An Unconventional Leadership Journey
Chapter Two: The Boko Haram insurgency: origins and leadership responses
Chapter Three: Centring trauma; rethinking peace
Chapter Four: Towards soft approaches to the Boko Haram insurgency
Chapter Five: Pivot, People, and Programmes: Mental Health, and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) at the Neem Foundation
Chapter Six: How can re-conceptualising leadership draw us closer to sustainable peace? Consolidation, lessons learnt, reflections
Bibliography
Index
Product details
| Published | 18 Mar 2027 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (PDF) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 224 |
| ISBN | 9781350574281 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Series | African Perspectives on Peacebuilding and Leadership |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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'This is a wonderful book. It is not just about addressing violent extremism in Northern Nigeria, but also about leadership, determination, and the importance of community programmes based on individual needs. At times deeply personal, it shows how a small but dedicated group of professional health workers can transform lives and spread the seeds of hope. It overflows with feeling and humility.'
Richard Barrett, Former Head of the United Nations Al Qaeda and Taliban Monitoring Team, NYC
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'In this important book Fatima Akilu and Natasha Chilambo make a compelling case for the relationship between trauma and violent extremism, without ever depoliticising or pathologizing terrorism. The authors offer rich evidence-based testimony to the importance of local context in deradicalization programming. Vital reading for those working to counter terrorism, or simply to understand it.'
Elizabeth Pearson, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

























