Winning hearts and minds: a marriage of counter terrorism and social entrepreneurship
Winning hearts and minds: a marriage of counter terrorism and social entrepreneurship

Summary/Abstract: The Taliban’s swift takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 underscores some of the failures in the Global War on Terror (GWOT). This article examines how sociocultural misalignment and reliance on militarised strategies have hampered Western efforts to subdue jihadist radicalisation and violence. Building on extensive interviews, focus groups, and the maticanalysis, this paper proposes an innovative counter terrorism approach that seeks to leverage social entrepreneurship (SE). By reframing jihadism as a locally embedded social problem, this paper argues that SE-driven responses can sustainably foster civic engagement, counter extremist narratives, and encourage local ownership of security. Three conceptual models – Counter-Narrative Enterprise, Jihadi Neighbourhood Watch, and Counter-Terrorism Citizenship – highlight how grassroots initiatives can challenge extremist ideologies and disrupt recruitment. These models integrate insights from organisational and marketing theory to galvanise de-radicalisation, generate alternative livelihoods, and rebuild communal identity. The findings suggest that SE complements kinetic (military) and intelligence operations by targeting the social and psychological dimensions of extremism, nurturing trust, and minimising civilian harm. Ultimately, bridging business studies and war studies offers policymakers a blueprint for “winning hearts and minds”, whilst seeking to mitigate the cycle of radicalisation. This innovative paradigm repositions counter terrorism as a transformative social enterprise, creating long-term value in affected communities and curtailing jihadist influence more effectively: local empowerment is essential for lasting success.

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