The idea that the expression of radical beliefs is a predictor to future acts of political violence has been a central tenet of counterextremism over the last two decades. Not only has this imposed a duty upon doctors lecturers and teachers to inform on the radical beliefs of their patients and students but as this book argues it is also a fundamentally flawed concept. Informed by his own experience with the UKs Prevent programme while teaching in a Muslim community Rob Faure Walker explores the linguistic emergence of extremism in political discourse and the potentially damaging generative effect of this language. Taking a new approach which combines critical discourse analysis with critical realism this book shows how the fear of being labelled as an extremist has resulted in counterterrorism strategies which actually undermine moderating mechanisms in a democracy. Analysing the generative mechanisms by which the language of counterextremism might actually promote violence Faure Walker explains how understanding the potentially oppressive properties of language can help us transcend them. The result is an imminent critique of the most pernicious aspects of the global War on Terror those that are embedded in our everyday language and political discourse. Drawing on the authors own successful lobbying activities against counterextremism this book presents a model for how discourse analysis and critical realism can and should engage with the political and how this will affect meaningful change.