Radicalization to Violence

The path of radicalization to violence. 

Tragically, what starts as a conspiracy theory can end in murder.  In 2018, the Government of Canada issued National Strategy on Countering Radicalization to Violence. According to this report, “Radicalization to violence occurs when a person or group takes on extreme ideas and begins to think they should use violence to support or advance their ideas or beliefs.” (p. 7). 

Understanding why individuals become radicalized is crucial to countering radicalization. The report notes that individuals can be radicalized to violence for numerous reasons, including extremist social networks, a sense of injustice, difficulties in their personal lives, the desire to belong, and peer pressure (pp. 8-9, 11-12).   

Read the Government of Canada report.