The religious vs. social radicalisation debate: current understandings and effects on policy

Abstract

A contested area of radicalisation debate is the field of study considering the impact of two key drivers towards radicalisation and the engagement in violent extremism: religion and group dynamics. The following analysis examines the current academic understandings of the religious and social factors towards radicalisation and analyses the impact of these understandings on the formation and implementation of various counter terrorism policies. Current strategies implemented in countering radicalisation and violent extremism are arguably based on flawed assumptions concerning individual and community vulnerability. This analysis reviews academic understandings of these religious and social motivators to evaluate the impact of these flawed assumptions on the individuals and communities which are targeted by the counter terrorism policies. Thorough review of the case study of Australian convicted terrorist Jack Roche and current Australian far-right groups applies these academic understandings of religious and social motivators to real-world events. This analysis concludes that while religion may lead to radicalisation, membership of social groups and the psychological influences of these memberships are the primary sources of radicalisation and the engagement in violent extremism.