Social Networks and Recruitment Pathways into Violent Extremism

• In Event: Radicalization and Terrorism

Abstract

Recruitment into violent extremist organizations has largely focused on exploring the relative importance of social networks, with less investigation exploring the underlying mechanics of these recruitment spaces. Using a life history methodology, 44 former white supremacists were interviewed about their lives before, during, and after their involvement in white supremacy. Results suggest that individuals often enter violent extremism for a variety of reasons and across a number of social spaces. More specifically, results provide insight into important recruitment mechanisms, such as enlistment and selection, which prominently characterized our participants’ recruitment pathways. This study builds on social movement literature of recruitment networks, adding further evidence that entry into violent extremist organizations is a complex process that involves active processes on part of the recruits.

Authors

• Steven Windisch, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Pete Simi, Chapman University

• Michael K. Logan, University of Nebraska at Omaha