From Dot Coms to Pipe Bombs: Online Radicalization and Mobilization to Violence

• In Event: NIJ Day: Online Interactions Leading to Radicalization: Mobilization to Violent Extremism and Internet Safety

Abstract

This research is a mixed methods approach studying online radicalization and mobilization to violence. The research team capitalizes on the ongoing efforts of four comprehensive open-source databases, including the American Terrorism Study (ATS), U.S. Extremist Crime Database (ECDB), U.S. Extremist Cybercrime Database (ECCD), and the Bias Homicide Database (BHDB), by integrating and enhancing these databases through additional data collection to conduct the most comprehensive comparative examination of risk factors associated with radicalization to terrorism and domestic extremist crime to date. This integrated database will allow to investigate the relative salience of risk and protective factors associated with a variety of offense types, including terrorism and violent extremism, non-violent extremism (financial or material support), non-violent extremism cyber-crimes, and violent but non-extremist hate crimes, and across multiple stages (i.e., precursor/radicalization, transaction, and aftermath) of terrorism-related events. This research has great potential for refining risk assessments and immediate relevance to law enforcement officials, other local leaders, and policymakers working to develop innovative solutions for mitigating pathways to terrorism and domestic extremist crime.

Author

• Jeffrey Gruenewald, University of Arkansas