Radicalization In Theory And Practice

Radicalization in Theory and Practice

Radicalization is a major challenge of contemporary global security. It conjures up images of violent ideologies, “homegrown” terrorists and jihad in both the academic sphere and among security and defense experts. While the first instances of religious radicalization were initially limited to second-generation Muslim immigrants, significant changes are currently impacting this phenomenon. Technology is said to amplify the dissemination of radicalism, though there remains uncertainty as to the exact weight of technology on radical behaviors. Moreover, far from being restricted to young men of Muslim heritage suffering from a feeling of social relegation, radicalism concerns a significant number of converted Muslims, women and more heterogeneous profiles (social, academic and geographic), as well as individuals that give the appearance of being fully integrated in the host society. These new and striking dynamics require innovative conceptual lenses. Radicalization in Theory and Practice identifies the mechanisms that explicitly link radical religious beliefs and radical actions. It describes its nature, singles out the mechanisms that enable radicalism to produce its effects, and develops a conceptual architecture to help scholars and policy-makers to address and evaluate radicalism—or what often passes as such. A variety of empirical chapters fed by first-hand data probe the relevance of theoretical perspectives that shape radicalization studies. By giving a prominent role to first-hand empirical investigations, the authors create a new framework of analysis from the ground up. This book enhances the quality of theorizing in this area, consolidates the quality of methodological enquiries, and articulates security studies insights with broader theoretical debates in different fields including sociology, social psychology, economics, and religious studies.

Theory and Practice of Terrorism

Terrorism studies has grown exponentially in the last decade. However, gaps still remain in the analysis of terrorism from the compilation of data to the examination of specific case studies in an effort to discern trends, such as in the radicalisation of individuals across cultural, religious, and gender lines. This book focuses on a central question that will be answered by a diverse group of academic and professional experts on terrorism: what are the current gaps in terrorism studies, and how can focusing on these gaps better inform our policy and operational decision-making. These experts provide their analysis of what is missing in the study of terrorist activities, groups, and the use of political violence. They also illustrate these gaps by applying theories that inform the understanding of terrorist behavior and focus on different paths of inquiry.

Islamist Radicalisation