Radicalization: Why Some People Choose the Path of Violence

by Farhad Khosrokhavar, Jane Marie Todd (Translator)

In the wake of the Paris, Beirut, and San Bernardino terrorist attacks, fears over “homegrown terrorism” have surfaced to a degree not seen since September 11, 2001―especially following the news that all of the perpetrators in Paris were European citizens. A sought-after commentator in France and a widely respected international scholar of radical Islam, Farhad Khosrokhavar has spent years studying the path towards radicalization, focusing particularly on the key role of prisons―based on interviews with dozens of Islamic radicals―as incubators of a particular brand of outrage that has yielded so many attacks over the past decade.

Khosrokhavar argues that the root problem of radicalization is not a particular ideology but rather a set of steps that young men and women follow, steps he distills clearly in this deeply researched account, one that spans both Europe and the United States. With insights that apply equally to far-right terrorists and Islamic radicals, Khosrokhavar argues that our security-focused solutions are pruning the branches rather than attacking the roots―which lie in the breakdown of social institutions, the expansion of prisons, and the rise of joblessness, which create disaffected communities with a sharp sense of grievance against the mainstream.

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 2017

Reviews

[David Lucander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be perfect for college level counter terrorism or homeland security courses, but it's also worthwhile for anyone interested in the process of radicalization whether it be nationalist/separatist groups, the Weather Underground, or just about any other 20th century radical formation. The author is super knowledgeable about the minutiae of modern jihadist radicalism and offers a lot of details that aren't useful to others than specialists, but there are many comparative references to various forms of radical groups that general readers will understand. There's a very fine line between Islamophobic stereotyping and grappling with the fact that radicalization happens among a certain segment of society. This book handles very sensitive material in a level headed and professional manner. I paired this with "We Too Sing America" and "This Muslim American Life" for a revamping of material in my Multicultural Studies course.

[Hitesh Meena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a overview of Radicalisation from cause of it to consequences of it. And what are the major aspects which needs to understand by the person. This book can be treated as basic book and mainly discuss the issue in European Countries context.

[Sam B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's thorough and well presented. To me the most interesting aspect was seeing parallels between the radicalization he described overseas to the rioting across America.