Why People Radicalize: How Unfairness Judgments are Used to Fuel Radical Beliefs, Extremist Behaviors, and Terrorism (Perspectives on Justice and Morality)

In Why People Radicalize , Kees van den Bos argues that if we want to truly understand radicalization and prevent, attenuate, and fight violent extremism and terrorism, we must pay attention to what is driving the radicalization process. This implies that we should systematically analyze how radicalizing persons interpret the world. For example, perceptions that certain situations are fundamentally unfair and hence need to be changed are among the core issues that drive Muslim, right-wing, and left-wing radicalization. Furthermore, experiences and perceptions of unfairness and injustice can tempt those who struggle with self-control to break the law and engage in violent extremist and terrorist behavior. Why People Radicalize is among the first attempts to provide a systematic, integrative, and in-depth analysis of the psychology of unfairness judgments and the ways these judgments impact on various radicalization processes. Discussing several conceptual and practical implications that follow from this line of reasoning, the book emphasizes the role of careful scientific thought and the notion of taking individuals seriously, as judgments of unfairness are not merely perceptions. They feel genuine to the persons forming the judgments. This volume discusses in detail how these radicalization processes can develop and what components are of pivotal relevance in these processes. Accessible for scientists, professionals, and practitioners, the book explains how uncertainty and insufficient self-corrections influence this process. Finally, the book delineates future research issues on radicalization, extremism, and terrorism and applies the analysis to appropriate legal contexts, making the book relevant for policy and decision makers, among others. "This book focuses on the issue of why people radicalize. This issue includes the question of why sometimes Muslims or those who identify with right-wing or left-wing politics engage in violent extremism and are sympathetic to terrorist acts. The book argues that part of the answer to these important yet complex and multifaceted topics lies in people perceiving certain things in their world as profoundly unfair. For example, they feel that their group is being treated in blatantly unfair manners, or they judge crucial moral principles to be violated. The book makes the case that these unfairness judgments threaten people's sense of who they are and jeopardize their beliefs about how the world should look. Furthermore, these judgments are not merely perceptions, but instead feel real and genuine to those who constructed them. As a result, these unfairness judgments can fuel people's radical beliefs, extremist behaviors, and support for terrorist acts. This book explains how this fueling process takes place. In doing so, the book provides in-depth insight into Muslim, right-wing, and left-wing radicalization. The book draws novel conceptual conclusions and suggests usable practical implications. The book was written based on the author's expertise as fairness researcher and his experiences of giving advice on radicalization (and associated issues of extremism and terrorism) to the Dutch government. Based on this expertise and experiences, the book conveys an engaging line of reasoning to a broad audience of scientists, practitioners, and others who are interested in radicalization, extremism, terrorism, and unfairness."-- Résumé de l'éditeur Why People Radicalize provides an in-depth analysis of how perceptions of unfairness can lead individuals and groups to develop radical convictions and sympathy for extremism and terrorism. Accessible for scientists, professionals, and practitioners, the book explains how uncertainty and insufficient self-corrections influence this process.