Abstract
The radicalization process is crucial to become a violent extremist. The following chapter deals with several theories of radicalization and the extremist ideologies behind it. Another important fact is the reason behind this process, why do people become radicalized. What is the attraction to young people to join violent extremist groups in Syria or other countries. The terrorist threat emerging from that trend ranges for democratic western societies from organized groups perpetrating attacks to foreign fighters following a lone wolf strategy . A key player to anti-radicalization and to prevent terrorist incidents is to understand the mechanics of how radicalization works. Extremists work in a regional context, and the research should focus on how that is successful and with which means to take countermeasures. Certain possible future scenarios will demonstrate aspects of radicalization and highlight drivers and indicators . The role of the media is also focused on to illustrate the use and abuse of the media by violent extremist groups. Interdependencies are explained about the media in all its facets and terrorist or extremist activity.
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Notes
- 1.
Author’s interview with Manuel Bauer, who was a right-wing activist in the 1990s, who stated that there were just right-wing oriented in his area and that there was no alternative. He would have joined other groups, if there would have been the possibility.
- 2.
This term is not precise, but used in the media. The individual is acting alone, but influenced by material and narratives read and consumed on the internet or Web 2.0 applications.
- 3.
PEGIDA is the acronym for: „Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes“/„patriotic Europeans against the Isamization of the Occident“.
- 4.
Islamic law: sharia. Very often in extremist Islamic groups, the interpretation of that very complex issue is very much simplified.
- 5.
Based on a scenario created within the EU-funded project ISDEP: www.isdep.eu.
- 6.
Both organizations have their own e-zines: Inspire for AQ and Dabiq for IS.
- 7.
SMART CV is one example for a project that specifically dealt with the countering of radical narratives after terrorist incidents. Another project where the issue was dealt with was ISDEP: www.isdep.eu.
- 8.
Cialdini describes different aspects of persuasion. He refers not to radical propaganda, but the tools and the psychology is transferable.
- 9.
PESTLE stands for: political, economical, social, technological, law and environmental.
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Nitsch, H. (2017). Radicalization in a Regional Context: Future Perspective on Possible Terrorist Threats and Radicalization. In: Larsen, H., Blanco, J., Pastor Pastor, R., Yager, R. (eds) Using Open Data to Detect Organized Crime Threats. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52703-1_11
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