violence
Definition
Violence refers to harmful physical acts committed by individuals or groups, often motivated by ideological beliefs that may be fragmentary, contradictory, or instrumentally adopted rather than deeply held. In the context of violent extremism, some perpetrators appear to select ideological content primarily to legitimize or rationalize intended violence, with the act itself rather than any coherent belief system serving as the central motivation.
Sources: Horgan & Shayler (2026)
Applications
Violence and Ideology
The relationship between violence and ideology in contemporary extremism is often inverted from traditional assumptions. Rather than ideology driving violence, the intent to commit violence may precede and shape ideological selection. Offenders may adopt selective ideological content to legitimize planned acts or to seek notoriety, displaying a casual, low-commitment relationship with any given belief system. Cross-ideological cooperation at the group level tends to reflect tactical advantage or recruitment rather than genuine ideological fusion.
Sources: Horgan & Shayler (2026)
Violence and Radicalization
Radicalization pathways leading to violence have shifted, with a growing proportion of cases involving individuals who lack formal ties to designated extremist organizations. Research cautions against concluding that ideologically hybrid radicalization is as prevalent as rising case counts might suggest, since classification practices among practitioners also change over time.
Sources: Horgan & Shayler (2026)
Violence and Conspiracy
Conspiracy belief is identified as a central driver and sustaining force in many contemporary forms of violent extremism. Online ecosystems have accelerated the spread of conspiracy-inflected content, contributing to radicalization processes in which individuals construct personal grievance narratives that justify violence without requiring allegiance to a single, coherent extremist movement.
Sources: Horgan & Shayler (2026)
