About Book

The Dynamics of Radicalization offers an in-depth analysis of how and when social movements transition from nonviolent to violent actions. The authors move beyond traditional explanations that focus on motivations or ideologies, instead proposing a relational framework that emphasizes the interactions between movement actors, their political environments, and state forces. Central to their theory are three mechanisms: Competition for Power: Internal dynamics within movements that can lead to radicalization. Threat/Opportunity Spirals: Interactions between movements and their political contexts that can escalate tensions. Outbidding: Competitive escalation between movement actors and state security forces. The book applies this framework to three distinct case studies: The Red Brigades in Italy (1968–1980) The Greek Cypriot Enosis-EOKA movement (1945–1960) The Al-Qaeda/Sunni-led Salafi Transnational Jihad Movement (1984–2001) Through these cases, the authors demonstrate the applicability of their model across diverse contexts, highlighting both similarities and differences in radicalization processes. The Dynamics of Radicalization stands as a significant contribution to the study of political violence and social movements. Its innovative relational framework offers a fresh lens through which to examine radicalization, moving beyond simplistic explanations to capture the complexity of these processes. The comparative case studies enrich the analysis, making the book both theoretically robust and empirically grounded. The Dynamics of Radicalization stands as a significant contribution to the study of political violence and social movements. Its innovative relational framework offers a fresh lens through which to examine radicalization, moving beyond simplistic explanations to capture the complexity of these processes. The comparative case studies enrich the analysis, making the book both theoretically robust and empirically grounded.