Factors Contributing to Radicalization: A conceptual framework

Academics, practitioners and policymakers have long debated models of radicalization leading to violent extremism (RLVE). They have struggled to find a simple framework to explain how an individual may come to accept and justify the use of violence to achieve their political or ideological goals to the point that they support, advocate for, or carry out terrorist acts.

The intention of this paper is not to review all available theories, as the literature on this subject is vast.

However, with Hedayah’s central role in capacity building for countering violent extremism (CVE), both for practitioners and policymakers, the purpose of this paper is to present a framework that can easily be explained in the field of CVE, reflect the nuances of the available theories and build upon the existing evidence base for RLVE.