Non-normative political extremism: Reclaiming a concept’s analytical utility

Sam Jackson

Terrorism and Political Violence, 2019, vol. 31, issue 2, 244-259

Abstract: Political extremism suffers from a definitional deficiency. This article proposes an analytical definition of the term, which avoids using extremism in a pejorative way. This definition also avoids exclusive focus on violence. This definition encourages the analyst to explicitly make the case for defining an action or an actor as extremist by comparing the action or actor to its political context. The article then explores several dimensions of an extremist political identity that can help observers understand extremist behavior and goals. It uses this conceptual framework to consider three examples of political extremism. Finally, the article concludes with some limitations and strengths of this definition of political extremism.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1080/09546553.2016.1212599

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