Analyzing Radicalization Tendencies among Pakistani Youth
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Date
2017
Authors
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Publisher
University of Management and Technolog
Abstract
A rise in radicalization across the world has posed a serious threat to human development and the state machinery. The increase in the phenomenon is linked to Jihadist ideology of non-state actors, such as Al Qaeda, which allures youngsters towards radicalization owing to an abusive interpretation of Islam. This study aims to analyze the phenomenon of radicalization among Pakistani youth from a social-psychological perspective having theoretical underpinning of social identity theory. The social psychology of radicalization explains radicalization as a group phenomenon, and encourages the approach that does not restrict the analysis of radicalization tendencies to religion as a sacred doctrine only. Unlike previous studies, this study takes religion as a social identity group and addresses the concerns that are related to group dynamics. These group dynamics are social categorization and perceptions of threat to group identity. The social psychological approach towards radicalization also deals with these dynamics.
Four hypotheses have been formulated. The first hypothesis that there is a relationship between social categorization and radicalization is confirmed (N=400). Second hypothesis that there is a relationship between perceptions of threat to group identity and radicalization is also confirmed (N=400). Third hypothesis that the relationship between social categorization and radicalization will be positively more significant among Madrassah students than among university students is confirmed. However, relationship between social categorization and radicalization among university students is negative that is a different result from the previous studies. Fourth hypothesis that relationship between perceptions of threat to group identity and radicalization will be positively more significant among Madrassah students than among university students is confirmed. The relationship between perceptions of threat to group identity and radicalization was also positive among university youth although at a minor level. Correlation test was used to analyze the data in SPSS 21. The relationship between variables was not very linear meaning there can be other contributing factors of radicalization other than social categorization and perceptions of threat to group identity. In the last chapter, recommendations for future researchers are given.
Description
Supervised by: M. Shoaib Pervez
Keywords
Psychological approach towards radicalization, Relationship between social categorization, M.Phil