Is Radicalisation a “Good Concept”?

Abstract

Over the last two decades, numerous definitions of radicalisation have emerged, introducing ambiguities among scholars and leading to numerous debates. The discipline contends with these ambiguities as critics point out the lack of conceptual clarity. The persistent struggle to articulate a clear and comprehensive definition underscores the imperative for a rigorous conceptual analysis. This paper aims to address this issue by focusing on narrowing down definitions through specific criteria and establishing common attributes for conceptualisation. The methodology involves collecting unique radicalisation definitions from 48 English and French journal articles. These definitions were analysed using criteria for concept formation proposed by Gerring’s Framework. The study aims to establish a possible consensus and initiate discussions towards a more operational concept of radicalisation in social sciences