Radicalization and Deradicalization: A qualitative analysis of parallels in relevant risk factors and trigger factors

Author(s)

Julia Reiter, Bertjan Doosje, Allard Feddes

Abstract

We analyzed five narrative interviews with individuals who disengaged

from Islamist extremist and Salafist ideologies in an early stage of

radicalization (Study 1) and seven semistructured expert interviews with

employees of German deradicalization programs (Study 2) to explore

which root factors are common to both radicalization and

deradicalization and how they manifest. Employing a coding-reliability

approach to Thematic Analyses, we constructed five themes central in

radicalization and deradicalization, respectively. Parallels between

radicalization and deradicalization (themes: social surroundings,

exclusion vs. acceptance, social status, self-definition, and

structure/sense of purpose) as well as the specifics of our particular

sample—female explorers of religious extremism—and implications for

future research are discussed.

Organisation(s)

Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology

External organisation(s)

University of Amsterdam (UvA)

Journal

Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology

Volume

Pages

268–283

ISSN

1078-1919

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/yne3v

Publication date

10-2020

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

501021 Social psychology, 504023 Political sociology

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Psychology, Social Psychology

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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