Extremism's false trail
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Bhui, Kamaldeep [1]
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[1] Queen Mary University
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- Localización: New scientist, ISSN 0262-4079, Nº. 3016, 2015, págs. 24-25
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
Here, Bhui argues that to understand the appeal of extremist ideologies, people need to look beyond the usual explanations. Given what all know about young people's impulsive decision-making and the difficulty they have in forecasting consequences, these people may seek solutions they mistakenly think will empower them. For example, a search for sacred meaning may lead them to commit to terrorist causes, just as some might join a gang to bolster self-esteem and for protection. This is a complex issue, and of course peer pressure can play a part in swaying choices, as can online information and social networking. Healthy sources of self-esteem, authentic religious teaching and social support are known to buffer the risk of joining gangs, and are also likely to be important in fighting extremism.
