Radicalization toward violent extremism: a typology based on a general theory of rationality

ABSTRACT

In the past twenty years, a persistent concern about the growing phenomenon of homegrown terrorism in the West has led researchers to study the radicalization process toward violent extremism. The potential link between ideology and behaviors is at the center of scientific debates. Some argue that adhesion to an ideology is not a necessary condition for political violence. According to this perspective, research should focus on the study of behaviors. Others argue that ideological aspects have an influence at every stage of engagement and that neglecting ideas would be a mistake in attempts at understanding radicalization. In this article, we contribute to that discussion by proposing a better way to understand the connection between ideology and behaviors. Using Raymond Boudon’s general theory of rationality, we argue that engagement in violent extremism is a complex combination of actions, decisions, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs the understanding of which requires the use of a comprehensive sociological approach. Thus, we defend a theoretical perspective based on methodological individualism and we develop a general typology for radicalization processes based on this perspective. We also point out how this perspective differs from conventional rational choice theory and other theoretical perspectives used in the field of radicalization.

KEYWORDS:

• Radicalization
• extremism
• terrorism
• political violence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 We would like to thank an anonymous reviewer for this specific suggestion.

2 We would like to thank an anonymous reviewer for this specific suggestion.

3 This was also noted in Neumann (2015, p. 9) for the case of the Islamic State’s recruitment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gilbert McLaughlin

Gilbert McLaughlin, PhD, is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism at the Ontario Tech University in Oshawa.

Christian Robitaille

Christian Robitaille, PhD, is a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa.