Description
This paper investigates how perceived discrimination and social exclusion contribute to the endorsement of political violence in the Netherlands. Combining quantitative analysis of a national survey of 1,896 respondents with qualitative interviews involving 32 young adults, the study demonstrates that extremist attitudes are driven not by religious identity itself but by experiences of discrimination, institutional exclusion, collective grievance, and pessimism about the future. The findings show that Muslim identity does not independently predict support for political violence once these psycho-social factors are considered, and that similar mechanisms operate among both Muslim and non-Muslim participants. Challenging conventional assumptions about socioeconomic precarity, the research also finds that individuals in stable full-time employment may express higher levels of violent endorsement, suggesting that status incongruence can also fuel radicalisation. The study concludes that addressing discrimination, exclusion, and barriers to social recognition is essential for preventing violent extremism.
Related topic
Protective factors and resilience strategies
Link
Language:
English
Date:
16-07-2026
Proposed by:
IPS
Source:
Abbas, 2026