A Comparative and Multidisciplinary Approach to Radicalization into Violent Extremism

Goal: This study reviews relevant literature on various topics related to indoctrination and extremist violence, using a multidisciplinary approach with the goal of developing a concise theory of radicalization to violent extremism (RVE). The combination of Islamic extremism and Right-Wing extremism, their similarities and difference, would allow for a more concise criminological and social psychological understanding of RVE. By addressing universal correlates related to social movements generally, and translating those aspects that are relevant to RVE, greater preventative measures can be taken to prevent radicalization early, or recognize conditions conducive to radicalization. The functional product would be the formulation of a set of universally valid best-practices between seemingly dissimilar social movements. For example, Atran et al. (2016) employ a “devoted actor” thesis in terror cell formation that is akin to Lofland (1965), but with the distinction of creating a smaller group of singularly tasked “devoted actors” rather than a set of “deployable agents” tasked primarily with recruitment. Such a theoretical linkage opens the entire body of literature on religious conversion to weigh in on the topic of RVE. Initial findings regarding RVE will be discussed as they relate to the development of this project.