radicalisering

Radicalisering, also known as radicalization in English, is the process by which individuals or groups come to adopt increasingly extreme political, social, or religious ideologies and to justify or pursue actions that diverge from mainstream norms. The term is often used to describe shifts in beliefs that may, but do not always, lead to violence. It is distinct from ordinary political disagreement and from criminal behavior alone.

The process is typically dynamic and non-linear, involving exposure to ideas, social networks, personal grievances, identity needs, and perceived injustice. People may move through stages such as initial exposure, reinforcement within a group, commitment, and potentially mobilization. Online platforms, peer influence, and group dynamics play significant roles in many trajectories.

Driver factors include individual vulnerabilities (social isolation, low self-esteem, discrimination), group-level pressures, and broader socio-political contexts. Ideology, perceived grievance, and belonging needs interact with recruitment strategies, propaganda, and algorithmic amplification online. Radicalization can be religious, political, ethnic or nationalist, and it may remain non-violent or culminate in violence; foreign-fighter involvement is a noted but not universal pathway.

Prevention and response encompass public education, social integration, and community-based interventions aimed at resilience and critical media literacy, alongside disengagement and de-radicalization programs for at-risk individuals. Law enforcement and counter-extremism policies seek to prevent harm but raise concerns about civil liberties and effectiveness. Evaluation of programs yields mixed results and highlights the complexity of causal factors.

Scholarly and policy debates emphasize the non-linear, context-dependent nature of radicalisering, the role of underlying grievances, and the need for balanced strategies that address social exclusion while protecting rights. Reliable measurement remains challenging, and interventions increasingly focus on early intervention, community engagement, and counter-narratives.