Radicalisation and Extremism in Eastern Africa: Dynamics and Drivers

Abstract

Understanding the causes and drivers of radicalisation, non-violent extremism and violent extremism is crucial for any organisation involved in improving human security, peacebuilding and reconciliation work.
It should be clear to most observers, particularly scholars and politicians, that Eastern Africa is a strategically important region to recruiters espousing manifestly violent means to achieve social, religious or political goals. It is also clear that it is not only a regional problem, as “violent extremist ideologies are gaining an unprecedented level of traction across the globe, taking root in local communities and controlling territory in a number of fragile states” (European Commission, 2016, p. 3).
However, this paper seeks to understand the reasons for radicalisation and extremism in Eastern Africa and the ideological dynamics that underpin and structure the way in which they are manifest in that region. It includes an introduction explaining the key terms used, elucidating their conceptual nuances and interconnectedness, followed by an introduction to the underlying causes of radicalisation and extremism in this region and finally, proposals to address and counter these challenges.
Much of the literature on violent extremism focuses on why and how people become drawn into terrorism – the problem often referred to as radicalisation – and how violent extremist groups and networks are organised. Curiously, most of this work or genre is on terrorism as a threat to the West, while the reality is that it is in the countries of Africa and Asia that most of the acts of violent extremism are committed (Kruglanski, et al., 2014).