The Rise of Extremism in post-2003 Iraq A root-cause approach to why violent actors emerges in the Middle East

Abstract

This paper navigates the intricate landscape of academic inquiries into the complexities of violence in the Middle East. Focusing on various research approaches, I attempt to illuminate their differences and contextual applications, emphasising the need for comprehensive investigations into the root causes of violence in 'repressive settings.' Such inquiries offer essential insights into motivational factors and variables influencing the radicalisation process towards violent extremism.

While exploring the utility of radicalisation in understanding home-grown terrorism in European settings, a noticeable disparity emerged between its application in Europe and the Middle East. Drawing from a diverse range of theories in political science, international relations, law, and psychology, this analysis sheds light on the multidimensional nature of the subject.

The significance of historical context is underscored, echoing Mundy's call for a careful examination of historical arrangements, practices, and processes to understand the relationship between organised violence and the Middle East. The exploration of sectarian identity as a framework revealed its role as a political tool rather than the root cause of violence.  A pivotal contribution is the identification of state fragility as a crucial variable in the causal model of the rise of violent actors, explaining variations in terrorism occurrences across states with shared historical and religious backgrounds.

Examining pathways towards violence, I highlight temporal aspects and the prominence of models favouring cognitive or behavioural approaches, with step/phase models emerging as valuable tools in addressing how radicalisation occurs.

Through an analysis of different levels—micro, meso, and macro— it becomes possible to uncover the environmental factors contributing to terrorism. The three-level analysis in International Relations provides a systematic framework, encompassing international, domestic, and individual levels.

In essence, this paper proposes a pathway and framework for researchers to analyse the processes of violence and its emergence, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the region's context and offering valuable insights for future research endeavours.

Keywords: Radicalisation, Middle East, Violent extremism, State fragility, Three-level analysis (or International Relations theory), Root Cause Theory.