Is radicalisation a “good concept”? A discussion of the main definitions in the scientific literature.

• In Event: EXTR5 Radicalisation and conspiracy beliefs

Abstract

The significance of the concept of radicalisation continues to be a subject of ongoing debate in the academic literature. This research actively engages in this debate by addressing the three following key questions:

What are the main definitions of radicalisation?
What is constitutive of a ‘good concept’?
Is it feasible to propose an operational definition of radicalisation suitable for the social sciences?

The first step involves a comprehensive review of multiple definitions of radicalisation published between 2004 and 2022 in the academic literature. Employing an ‘open coding’ method, ‘key concepts’ will be extracted, and subsequently categorised into broader ‘categories’. In the next step, through cross-tabulations, I will demonstrate that radicalisation encompasses different phenomena under the same denomination. At last, I will argue that, despite the diversity in existing studies, it is possible to unite them under a common category, fostering concord and theoretical convergence in the field. The heuristic approach adopted, characterised by the generalisation of definition coding and the use of cross-tabulations, allows us to propose an operational definition of the concept of radicalisation, which we submit for scholarly debate. This research relevance aligns well with the broader discussion on the definition and application of the concept of radicalisation.

Author

• Gilbert McLaughlin, Liverpool Hope Universty