Radicalization to terrorism

This chapter adds fresh insights into the radicalization to terrorism by examining premature symptoms and signals of dangerous behavior undertaken by girls and women. A conceptual perspective on radicalization provides a wider context beyond individual-level factors for the recruitment of women to terrorist organizations. Terrorism is a method of behaviors, or a path, along which a radical organization can move, in a particular direction, reaching a certain level and then progressing to another level. An important concept that is discussed in this chapter is “radical milieu,” which denotes the direct social environment in which recruits are turned into extremists, some of whom are prone to commit ultra-violence. Several case studies on indoctrination and brainwashing are offered.