Functionality of radicalization: A case study of Hizb ut-Tahrir

Abstract

Moving beyond the concern with causes of radicalization, this article explores the transformative aspect of radicalization within Hizb ut-Tahrir (The Liberation Party). The personal narratives obtained from this ethnographic fieldwork are placed into a frame of reference related to how radicalization occurs within Hizb ut-Tahrir. Gaining insight into this social phenomenon required an 'ethnographic' approach, which allowed me to study members of Hizb ut-Tahrir in their natural setting. My access to Hizb ut-Tahrir put me in the unique position of being able to gather the biographical information required to study radicalization. In essence, I sought to acquire, from within the group setting, an understanding of how members become indoctrinated within Hizb ut-Tahrir. As the findings reveal, Hizb ut-Tahrir radicalization is a narrow cognitive process that has distinct behavioural outcomes.