Radicalization Models Social Sciences Research Paper

Radicalization Models
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Radicalization Models
Over the last few years, European leaders have been taken aback by the number of people willing to join the Jihadist fighters after they have been radicalized. All over the world, several youth have been radicalized into becoming terrorists used to commit acts of terror such as suicide bombings. The major question is: How do these youth get radicalized. Therefore, in this paper, I am going to look at the radicalization models and examine how they are used.
The model that is often used most is the “phase model of Moghaddam. The model provides an explanation to radicalization using “metaphorical staircase.” The model argues that radicalization takes place in steps with the targets normally feeling deprived when standing at ground level (Witteveen, 2018). As the steps progress, the number of people on the staircase reduce. A person that reaches the fifth step is often ready to commit acts of terrorism. There is common belief that if a person is stopped anywhere in the staircase, radicalization will be halted and they will not become terrorists. In the first step is the “psychological interpretation of material conditions.” This is followed by the “perceived options to fight unfair treatment”. At the second floor, there is the displacement of aggression and at the third floor is the moral engagement. At the fourth floor, the individuals get to solidify their categorical thinking and they now see the terrorist group as legitimate. Finally, at the fifth floor, they are ready to commit terrorist acts in allegiance to the group and with the belief that what they are doing is morally correct (Witteveen, 2018).
Witteveen (2018) argued that the other model used for radicalization is the root cause model. The mode...