From Margins to Extremes: Economic Factors, Social Integration and the Radicalisation of European Youth

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between economic variables, social integration and susceptibility to extremism in Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. By analysing 415 interviews conducted with young people, activists and practitioners between 2021 and 2023, we have discerned patterns in the influence of economic conditions on radicalisation. We found that nationalist ideologies are associated with economic concerns, particularly those related to globalisation and migration, and that perceived relative deprivation, rather than absolute conditions, mediate the influence of these factors. Comparable economic grievances foster conditions for both right-wing and Islamist radicalisation, indicating shared mechanisms. Nevertheless, national contexts–including welfare models and integration policies–affect the manifestations of these economic factors in actual radicalisation processes. This study elucidates the intricate relationship between economic conditions and extremist ideologies among European youth.