Existing literature on radicalization leading to violent extremism covers a wide range of issues and areas of concern, including theories and models of radicalization and the radicalization process, as well as triggers, catalysts, and risk factors for the emergence of radicalization. Scholars have identified various risk factors that influence the likelihood of violent radicalization. However, a review of literature on radicalization reveals that there is a lack of thorough analysis of how major risk factors relate to each other. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between major risk factors for radicalization by combining them in a single model. Three risk factors were selected for this study: perceived Islamophobia, poor integration, and identity crisis. These risk factors are critical for understanding the early stages of the radicalization process of Muslim individuals who live in Western societies. This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, employing both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Data was collected using a survey of 180 Turkish-Americans and 118 Turkish-Canadians and interviews with 10 opinion leaders. The researcher proposed four hypotheses to investigate the relationships between the three aforementioned risk factors and used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test these hypotheses. The results showed that both perceived Islamophobia and poor integration were predictors of identity crisis in both samples. No significant relationship was observed between perceived Islamophobia and poor integration. The results also revealed some differences between the two samples. Perceived Islamophobia was significantly higher for the sample of Turkish-Americans. Additionally, higher perceived Islamophobia among Turkish-Americans predicted weaker identification with the host country. On the other hand, stronger religious identification among Turkish-Canadians predicted lower levels of integration. It is necessary to emphasize that this study did not explore whether the participants did or did not adopt radical ideologies. Rather, the researcher focused on the relationships among the risk factors that might make Muslim minorities more vulnerable to radicalization. The study concluded that it is important to take measures to counter Islamophobia and to facilitate the integration of Muslim minorities in order to lessen the likelihood that they will experience an identity crisis.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Global Affairs
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Radicalism
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Islam--Public opinion
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Islamophobia
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_7140
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (x, 154 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Mehmet Fatih Bastug
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - Newark Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10002600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
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