How did a Western-born come to Muslim radicalize? Salient identity formation contributing to the radicalization process: an interpretive phenomenological analysis case study

Increased focus on Muslim populations being tied to radicalization have increased since 9/11. The radicalization process is defined as individuals or groups having increasingly extreme ideologies and beliefs that can potentially lead to violence. However, most of those with radical beliefs do not ever become violent. Empirically driven studies with radicalized individuals and groups have been limited; much of the research has been theoretical. Therefore, this article aimed to contribute to the radicalization research by conducting an empirical study on how one Western-born Muslim came to harbor radical opinion. This manuscript utilized a research method called interpretive phenomenological analysis, which attempted to simultaneously understand how the researchers and participant made sense of the participant’s meaning making experiences. The researcher’s searched for key identities that lead one Western-born Muslim to engage in the radicalization process. Future ideas for psychological research and counseling with radical populations will be discussed.