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The Dark Social Capital of Religious Radicals

Jihadi Networks and Mobilization in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, 1998–2018

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  • © 2021

Overview

Authors:
  1. Johannes Saal

    1. Luzern, Switzerland

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Part of the book series: Politik und Religion (PUR)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 1-11

  3. Theory: The Dark Social Capital of Religious Radicals

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 13-67

  4. Data Sources and Methods of Data Analysis

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 69-92

  5. Socio-Demographic and Socio-Economic Backgrounds

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 93-108

  6. Dynamics of Jihadi Networks in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 109-131

  7. Geographical Clusters

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 133-151

  8. Mobilizing Members

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 153-302

  9. Mobilizing Cohesion

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 303-321

  10. Mobilizing Funds and Charity

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 323-362

  11. Mobilizing Violence

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 363-498

  12. Conclusion

    • Johannes Saal
    Pages 499-527
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Keywords

About this book

With the departure of European Muslims to the “Islamic State” and a wave of terrorist attacks in Europe in recent years, the questions of why and how individuals radicalize to Jihadi extremism attracted keen interest. This thesis examines how individuals radicalize by applying a theoretical framework that primarily refers to social capital theory, the economics of religion, and social movement theory. The analysis of the biographical backgrounds, pathways of radicalization, and network connections of more than 1,300 Jihadi extremists from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland shows that radicalization primarily need to be considered as a social process of isolation from former social contacts and affiliation with a new religious group. Radicalization is characterized by the transformation of social capital and often channeled through so-called “strong ties” to friends and family members. These peer networks constitute the social fundament of radical clusters on the local level which are usually linked to a broader milieu through exclusive mosque communities and religious authorities. Bonding social capital within these radical groups minimizes the risk of betrayal and promotes trust essential for clandestine and risky activities. 

Reviews

“It is a timely and relevant piece of scholarship which, through the study of social elements at play in the process of radicalisation, offers a nuanced perspective of radicalisation as a social process and effectively demonstrates the transformative power of social capital within extremist groups. The book is a valuable addition to the literature on terrorism and radicalisation, contributing fresh insights and a new perspective by moving beyond traditional, security-focused narratives.”(Lulie El-Ashry, Religion in Austria, Vol. 8, 2023)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Luzern, Switzerland

    Johannes Saal

About the author

About the author 
Sociologist of religion and political scientist Dr. Johannes Saal is a research assistant at the Center for Religion, Economy and Politics (University of Lucerne).
 



Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Dark Social Capital of Religious Radicals

  • Book Subtitle: Jihadi Networks and Mobilization in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, 1998–2018

  • Authors: Johannes Saal

  • Series Title: Politik und Religion

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-32842-9

  • Publisher: Springer VS Wiesbaden

  • eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, part of Springer Nature 2021

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-658-32841-2Published: 05 May 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-658-32842-9Published: 04 May 2021

  • Series ISSN: 2510-4748

  • Series E-ISSN: 2510-4756

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXII, 527

  • Number of Illustrations: 50 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: European Politics, Islam, Terrorism and Political Violence

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