Annotation
This course is an attempt to shed light on the phenomena of radicalization and de-radicalization. Drawing on the teachers' ongoing research, this course combines two key epistemological approaches in the modern study of radicalization and related disciplines: online ethnography and classic ethnography (fieldwork). The course sheds light on the studied phenomena through the conceptual and theoretical lens of two distinct, yet interrelated subtypes: jihadist and far-right terrorism.
Recent decades have seen the rise of Salafi-jihadism, a religiously-inspired political ideology striving for global dominance. Al Qaeda, ISIL and other loosely shaped regional organizations adhering to this militant ideology have sought to win the hearts and minds of Muslims from the United States to the Middle East and Russia to Southeast Asia in an effort to spark what they consider a global jihad against the infidels and hypocrites. At the same time, a reciprocal reaction has occurred amongst the far-right, propelled by conspiracy theories on "white genocide," "the great replacement," and an impending race war. Through the modus operandi of a decentralized, leaderless resistance, the far-right utilizes both offline and online radicalization strategies to recruit and promote their hate-filled ideologies and form violent counterpublics.