Indicators of Islamic Radicalization
Purpose:
Islamic radicalization has become an increasing social problem, which can culminate under certain circumstances into extremism and terrorism. The purpose of this article is to identify the key indicators of Islamic radicalization.
Design/Methods/Approach:
In the article, we used the following methods: case studies, interviews with representatives of key religious communities and with the head of the Office for Religious Communities in Slovenia.
Findings:
Current cases of Islamic radicalization in Slovenia are of lower intensity in comparison to some other countries but their presence is sufficient to allow us to identify a set of indicators. Interviews with the representatives of the religious community pointed out the awareness of the risks of Islamic radicalization and related uncertainties. The article defines various indicators of Islamic radical behaviour and activity, including the indicators of radicalization of the foreign fighter returnees.
Research Limitations / Implications:
Identification and explanation of indicators of Islamic radicalization are relevant for the formation of Slovenian early detection and warning system. Results can be useful for other countries. The main limit of this research is a small number of interviewees as a base for our set of indicators. This was somewhat surmounted with the use of a broader conceptual literature on this subject.
Practical Implications:
Overview of indicators will allow various practitioners to focus their efforts on risky behaviour from the perspective of Islamic radicalization toward violence.
Originality/Value:
The article uniquely combines the theory of vulnerability of religious groups, the models of Islamic radicalization and the interviews from the local community. Results importantly contribute to the current knowledge on indicators of radicalization.
UDC: 28-312.55
Keywords: indicators, religious radicalization, extremism, Islamic terrorism, Islamism, polarization