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Youth Recruitment and Mobilization to Violence

So What?

Youth are being recruited to engage in violence at an increasing rate, particularly due to their accessibility through social media and online spaces. How can we understand and prevent young people from mobilizing from radical thought to violent actions? To help keep kids safe, we need to examine the factors that lead them on the pathway to violence.

Project Summary

This project applies open-source data methodologies and qualitative research to examine characteristics of people under the age of 25 who have been convicted of engaging in acts of violent extremism and terrorism.

Purpose/Objectives

This project seeks to understand the drivers of terrorism by understanding factors that precede mobilization to violence and to support and protect youth and other vulnerable populations most susceptible to radicalization.

Method

This project uses a variety of methods, including content coding of cases involving charged and convicted individuals, surveys, focus groups, and interviews to help identify factors that contribute to youth violence and prevention and intervention strategies.

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Research Team

Bettina Rottweiler, Ph.D.

PI | NCITE Research Associate

Austin Doctor, Ph.D.

Co-PI | NCITE Director of Strategic Initiatives

Caitlin Clemmow, Ph.D.

Co-PI | University College London