PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Drawing on experiences within the research alliance "Radicalization within the Digital Age” we show how radicalization became a hege- monic paradigm in research as well as in practice. Our contribution is based on qualitative interviews with experts of radicalization prevention programs on one hand, and on the other hand on qual- itative in-depth interviews with (former) radicalized persons. Under the reflection of our own research practice, we analyze the radical- ization paradigm as a consequence of securitization and show how the interaction of political interests and academic discourse of rad- icalization are affecting the interpretations of practitioners. The emerging interdependencies are a reason to plead for multi-paradig- matic research. Drawing on alternative perspectives, radicalization cannot be understood only as an individual and pathologic behavior of single persons, but as a result of special social contexts and discourses.