Contextual and Individual Predictors of Fear of Extremist Violence in Africa

• In Event: Factors that Predict or Explain Fear of Crime

Abstract

While correlates of fear of crime have been examined in the industrialized countries, few studies have focused on developing countries or fear of violent extremism specifically. The purpose of this study is to fill that critical gap in literature by analyzing data from Round 8 of the Afrobarometer survey collected in 34 countries in 2022 concentrating on fear of violent extremism in particular. In addition, we advance the discipline by analyzing fear as a function of both individual and country-level contextual predictors utilizing generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). Results indicate that both individual-level and country-level factors matter. Specifically, both personal vulnerability such as prior violent victimization and contextual exposure to violence measured with global terrorism index (GTI) are associated with increased fear, while confidence in military and government reduces fear. The results demystify etiology of fear of extremist violence and highlight possible remedies.

Authors

• Pavel Vasiliev, Ohio University

• John Musalia, Western Kentucky University