The Pros And Cons Of Extremism

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Recommended: Psychological factors that motivate terrorist organisations

Terrorism is not synonymous with extremism. One can be an extremist, hold and voice extreme political or religious views, and justifiably not be considered a terrorist. Extremists hold opinions that are either to the “extreme” right or the “extreme” left on a spectrum and are only open to ideas that confirm their beliefs. It is an issue of either black or white. Moving from simply espousing extremist views to joining a terrorist group or committing a terrorist act is facilitated by several psychological and behavioural factors that are different for each individual. Through their roles as educators and facilitators, the leaders of Al Qaeda and its affiliates leverage the psychology of defeat, generational and transnational transmission, Religious leaders preach with such zeal and assuredness that their interpretations do not leave any room for questioning. This can be a reassuring factor to somebody who is scrutinizing their place in society. According to Hofmann and Dawson, the violent acts are acceptable under the teachings of these charismatic leaders because they are professed to be divinely inspired and acted upon by God’s will (Hofmann & Dawson 2013?, 350). These teachings performed by clerics can be distributed around the world via the internet and have become an effective strategy in recruiting people to their cause. This strategy forms the basis of a terrorist cell which can work independently of the organization while still maintaining its overall goals. This “leaderless resistance” is a term coined by a preeminent figure in the white supremacist movement (Hoffman 2006, 115). It has been adopted by many of the existing terrorist organizations including al Qaeda and has proven an effective tactic. Ironically, it has provided the leaders of terrorist groups an avenue to expand their jihadist movement to an ever increasing global

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