Risk and Protective Factors for Radicalization of Individuals in the United States

• In Event: Towards an Understanding of Radicalization

Abstract

The process of radicalization to violent extremism has been discussed by scholars, researchers, and practitioners over the past two decades. Recently, researchers have begun to explore individual characteristics that contribute to radicalization. However, the conversation has been mostly led by psychologists and political scientists. To date only one study has examined the individual level correlates of radicalization in a criminological framework. The current study attempts to build upon this research by using the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) database to explore risk and protective factors associated with radicalization. Theoretical and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Ewa Zielinska, University of New Haven

• Mirlinda Ndrecka, University of New Haven

• David Myers, University of New Haven