Islamist Radicalisation in North Africa

Events in the Islamic world, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, have dominated headlines for many years, with much attention being given to “radicalisation” as the reason behind violence and extremism, and with a conviction that the “radicalized” represent an irrational deviation from conventionally accepted norms of social and political contestation. This book focuses on the current issues related to radicalisation in North Africa and analytical approaches to it. It looks into the processes that led to radicalisation, rather than simply at its often violent outcomes. The ten essays comprising the book also extend the discussion, historically and conceptually, beyond the preoccupations of recent years in order to develop a more comprehensive view of a complex process, both individual and collective, that has represented an enduring challenge to the dominant political, social and, on occasion, economic norms. In its analysis, the book enshrines the concepts of radicalisation and extremism. Radicalisation is treated as a process of alienation from a hegemonic discourse, usually the one associated with the state’s self-legitimisation, but also the discourses of the dominant political elites within the state. Extremism is treated as the adoption of an ideology and associated activism to challenge the state and its elites, usually through violence. The differentiation duly noted, it is clear nonetheless that radicalisation and extremism run closely together to the extent that either could be said to engender the other. Indeed, this is the dominant view, normally and frequently adopted by states, which then feel justified in penalizing both in the same ways. There appears to be an obvious correlation, if not interlinking, of the two concepts.