Page 10 - The Indian EYE 051223

OPINION MAY 12, 2023 | The Indian Eye 10

Towards an Epistemic Understanding of

Radicalism, Extremism and Terrorism

The firm adherence to any belief system or religion by its followers is fraught with the danger of

engendering fanaticism, bigotry and xenophobia in that community

ADIL RASHEED

he once-vaunted Global War
on Terror (GWOT) and even
Tthe ongoing Global Pro-
gramme on Preventing and Counter-
ing Violent Extremism (PCVE) have
often been criticized for being mis-
nomers, as some commentators aver
that it is untenable to wage campaigns
against abstract nouns like terrorism
and extremism, particularly in the
absence of any internationally recog-
nized definition of such terms.
The lack of international consen-
sus over some of these fundamental
terms of references severely impairs
well-intentioned global counter-ter-
rorism (CT) operations and some-
times even puts the effectiveness, if
not legitimacy of several Counter
Violent Extremism and Terrorism
(CVET) campaigns to question.
Terms associated with terrorism such
as violent extremism, radicalism, or
fundamentalism, are often used indis-
criminately and at times interchange-
ably, not just in the popular media but Terrorism refers, on the one hand, to a doctrine about the presumed effectiveness of a special form or tactic of fear-generating,
even in academic literature. Often coercive political violence (File photo)
fundamentalists and non-violent radi-
cals are equated with terrorists, which
leads to legal complications. The per- nstein: “in favor of extreme and complete po- indoctrination and recruitment tech-
sistence of such conceptual confusion In-groups are the groups to which litical or social change”. The etymo- niques of left-wing extremists. The us-
impedes the development of effective individuals both belong and psycho- logical origin of the word ‘radical’ lies age became more dubiously popular
CVET operations and programmes logically identify, while out-groups in the Latin word ‘radix’, which means as left-wing extremism spread across
that need precise matrices to deter- are those to which individuals do not ‘the root’. In the domain of politics the globe by the 1960s. However, in
mine the threat and achieve quantifi- belong or identify. Categorizations and international relations, radicals the 2000s, the term was used for jihad-
able outcomes. based on ingroup–outgroup distinc- refer to those groups of people who ist ensnarement of impressionable
The firm adherence to any belief tions have a profound impact on so- seem to bring about deep-rooted and minds into the terrorist ranks.
system or religion by its followers is cial interactions, including aspects of fundamental changes to the existing In simple terms, radicalization
fraught with the danger of engender- prejudice, reward allocation, stereo- socio-political ideology and institu- is the transformative process that
ing fanaticism, bigotry and xenopho- typing, and group conflict. tions. Thus, radicals wish to bring a law-abiding citizen of a state or a
bia in that community. In the modern Additionally, religious fundamen- about a new socio-political order by member of society undergoes to be-
age, religious zealotry has reacted talism, racial supremacism, as found in uprooting the existing one. come a person who starts accepting
mainly to the rise of modern science the ideologies of Fascism and Nazism; For instance, Islamists call for principles and actions of violent ex-
and secular philosophy and a technol- national and sub-national insurgen- throwing off Western governance sys- tremism and terrorism.
ogy-driven lifestyle. cies, and revolutionary political ide- tems in Muslim countries and intro- According to a report from the
Fundamentalism can be defined ologies such as Anarchism and Com- ducing a highly purist form of Shariah United Nations Office of Counter
as a strict and literal interpretation munism, serve as ideological drivers rule as they claim was implemented by Terrorism:
of religious scriptures, dogmas, or for violent extremism and terrorism. the Prophet and subsequently by the The notion of ‘radicalization’
practices and a staunch adherence to In the domain of counter-terror- Four Pious Caliphs (the Rashidun). is generally used [by some States] to
irreducible beliefs or ‘fundamentals. ism, the terms radicalism and radical- The word ‘radicalization’ has convey the idea of a process through
In addition, there is great emphasis ization are commonly used and often been derived from the word radical- which an individual adopts an in-
on distinguishing one’s in-group and misunderstood. The Oxford Dictio- ism and is said to have first gained creasingly extremist set of beliefs and
out-group. According to Michael Ber- nary succinctly defines radicalism as currency in the 1930s to refer to the Continued on next page... >>

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