2026-04-19T11:37:57Zhttps://riubu.ubu.es/oai/request

oai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/99142025-01-15T07:30:22Zcom_10259_4734com_10259_5086com_10259_2604col_10259_4735

“What Made Me Change”: Transformative Experiences in the Jihadist Radicalization Process Blanco, Laura Muelas Lobato, Roberto Alba Langreo, Beatriz Vázquez, Alexandra González Álvarez, José Luis Chiclana, Sandra Chinchilla, Juana Gómez Jiménez, Ángel Jihadism Prison Radicalization Turning point Narrative analysis Psicología Sociología Psychology Sociology Disentangling the roots of radicalization leading to violence is a worldwidechallenge. Unfortunately, empirical data are scarce. Through fieldwork con-ducting interviews with Muslim persons deprived of liberty (PDL) in Spanishprisons, this research examines transformative experiences that may haveinfluenced radicalization leading to violence from the 3N model and the life-course perspective lenses. PDL because of jihadist terrorism (n = 30), com-mon criminals who carry out proselytizing work (n = 22), and non-radicals(control group, n = 64) were asked about the turning point in their lives. Theirresponses were coded into exclusive thematic categories following an induc-tive-deductive mixed approach. Jihadists and proselytizers identified experi-ences linking their personal identity to religion—ideological ties—asa transformative point that provided them purpose and sparked the desirefor leaving their criminal lifestyle behind. Also, proselytizers referred tofamily-related experiences—familial ties—as a turning point which alsoprompted them to criminal desistance, whereas this was not mentioned byjihadists. All groups had in common the experience of incarceration asa major turning point and a moderate level of self-reported religiosity.Overall, these findings contribute to the understanding and prevention ofjihadist radicalization. This work was funded by the I+D+i projects “What I learned in prison. Delving into the nature of identity fusion,physical and spiritual formidability, and its underlying associated mechanisms” [PID2021-124617OB-I00], and “Themotivational foundations and the challenges of social change: Gender, cultural and class perspectives for socialtransformation” [PID2021-126085OB-I00], both funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities ofSpain, the State Research Agency [AEI: 10.13039/501100011033], and FEDER “A way to make Europe.” This work wasalso funded by the ERC Advanced Grant [MULTIPREV - GA-101018172] to Ángel Gómez; European Research Council. info:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-06-13 2025-01-14T18:04:37Z 2025-01-14T18:04:37Z 2024-12 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion 0954-6553 http://hdl.handle.net/10259/9914 10.1080/09546553.2024.2437048 1556-1836 eng Terrorism and Political Violence. 2024, p. 1-19 https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2024.2437048 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess application/pdf Routledge. Taylor and Francis