Radicalization 2.0: Pathways, Push-Pulls, and Prevention of Violent Extremism among South Asian Youth
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65826/JSAI.1.2.2026.97Keywords:
Radicalization 2.0, Violent Extremism, Terrorism, Push-Pull Factors, South Asian YouthAbstract
South Asia contains the world’s largest youth population of over 340 million people between the ages of 15 and 29. Despite this potential, the region suffers greatly from violent extremism. 132,000 reports of terrorist attacks occurred between 2000 and 2024. This paper, therefore, asks two basic questions: Why do some young people join violent groups, and how can effective prevention strategies be built to stop them? To answer these questions, this study draws on a range of open-source materials, including academic research, policy reports, and social media content. The study concludes that there are four unique pathways into extremism: grievance-motivated, thrill seeking, identity recovery, and status entrepreneurial. These pathways are pulled by push factors, such as state violence and maintaining a lack of opportunity, which render youth vulnerable. At the same time, push factors as well as pull factors industrialize them into extremist groups, including the promise of online fame, peer status, and money. Based on these findings, in this paper, this 'three-pronged prevention road map' is suggested: (i) incorporating critical thinking modules in school education to create intellectual resilience; (ii) encouraging young producers to create positive online counter-narratives; and (iii) forming local peer mentorship clubs (‘Safe Circles’) to create belonging. These youth-centred approaches are a sustainable way of countering violent extremism in South Asia.
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