In-depth Academic Study

The concept of ‘radicalization’ gained significant importance in both academic research and counter-terrorism practice in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Following these attacks, radicalization was generally understood as a process by which an individual became willing to support or carry out acts of terrorism. This article reviews these early post-9/11 understandings of radicalization and examines their influence on various counter-terrorism practices.

The article also explores the evolution of these understandings in light of recent trends, whereby increasingly younger individuals with often unclear ideological motivations are attracting the attention of counter-terrorism authorities. This points to a shifting role of cognitive and ideological radicalization in actual terrorist involvement, raising questions about the previously central role of thought processes and attitudes in explaining radicalization phenomena.

In light of these challenges, there is a compelling reason to reconsider the future of the concept of radicalization both as an explanation for terrorism and as a foundation for counter-terrorism practices. The examples cited in the article primarily refer to the United Kingdom, which is often regarded as a forerunner in the field of counter-terrorism.

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