The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence
In the wake of numerous terror attacks around the globe, academic and popular discourse on radicalization has witnessed exponential growth in publications that, sadly, have not resulted in a coherent or consensus definition of the concept, nor have they determined its causality and effects. In this...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/9/464 |
| _version_ | 1797554073888620544 |
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| author | Hannes Sonnenschein Tomas Lindgren |
| author_facet | Hannes Sonnenschein Tomas Lindgren |
| author_sort | Hannes Sonnenschein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the wake of numerous terror attacks around the globe, academic and popular discourse on radicalization has witnessed exponential growth in publications that, sadly, have not resulted in a coherent or consensus definition of the concept, nor have they determined its causality and effects. In this article, we use the term <i>three-pronged process of radicalization by narrative</i> to denote an ongoing process of meaning-making, adaptation, and coping, and argue this process to be inherently linked with the social, cultural, and ideological construction and reconstruction of the identity arch-story of individual lives. We suggest that, in some cases, the ceaseless process of social interaction of identity narratives eventuates in what we define as <i>the Shapeshifting Self</i>, by coherently fusing stories of personal loss, rupture, or trauma together with the counterparts of movements and national stories of sociopolitical engagement. At the endpoint of the process, violent engagement is perceived by the self as legitimate and even necessary for the psychological well-being of the perpetrator. By applying this approach to the <i>Jewish-Israeli context</i>, we aim to illustrate the socioculturally situated contingencies associated with the process of radicalization by narrative. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:25:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9ad5058a1ce5499299220e722d2241fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:25:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-9ad5058a1ce5499299220e722d2241fb2023-11-20T13:14:45ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442020-09-0111946410.3390/rel11090464The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political ViolenceHannes Sonnenschein0Tomas Lindgren1Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious studies, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, SwedenDepartment of Historical, Philosophical and Religious studies, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, SwedenIn the wake of numerous terror attacks around the globe, academic and popular discourse on radicalization has witnessed exponential growth in publications that, sadly, have not resulted in a coherent or consensus definition of the concept, nor have they determined its causality and effects. In this article, we use the term <i>three-pronged process of radicalization by narrative</i> to denote an ongoing process of meaning-making, adaptation, and coping, and argue this process to be inherently linked with the social, cultural, and ideological construction and reconstruction of the identity arch-story of individual lives. We suggest that, in some cases, the ceaseless process of social interaction of identity narratives eventuates in what we define as <i>the Shapeshifting Self</i>, by coherently fusing stories of personal loss, rupture, or trauma together with the counterparts of movements and national stories of sociopolitical engagement. At the endpoint of the process, violent engagement is perceived by the self as legitimate and even necessary for the psychological well-being of the perpetrator. By applying this approach to the <i>Jewish-Israeli context</i>, we aim to illustrate the socioculturally situated contingencies associated with the process of radicalization by narrative.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/9/464narrative psychologyradicalizationpolitico-religious violenceJewish-Israeli context |
| spellingShingle | Hannes Sonnenschein Tomas Lindgren The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence Religions narrative psychology radicalization politico-religious violence Jewish-Israeli context |
| title | The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence |
| title_full | The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence |
| title_fullStr | The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence |
| title_short | The Shapeshifting Self: Narrative Pathways into Political Violence |
| title_sort | shapeshifting self narrative pathways into political violence |
| topic | narrative psychology radicalization politico-religious violence Jewish-Israeli context |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/9/464 |
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