Brief

<p>&ldquo;It is important to combat extremism, not only in the field of battle, but also to prevent it and to reverse the trend.&rdquo;</p> <p>Prof. Arie Kruglanski, Professor of Psychology at University of Maryland discussed the different causes of terrorism, the psychological research on it, and the ways that governments can combat it. He defined extremism as &ldquo;the willful deviation from general norms of conduct,&rdquo; and said that not all extremist behavior is terrorist or negative. He gave an example of Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King as extremists in humanity.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Kruglanski mentioned the different basic needs all humans share, such as achievement, safety, love, and respect. He said that while we may be motivated for one need more than the others, we will strike a balance between all. Extremism is losing the balance. He also mentioned what he called the recipe for extremism: &ldquo;If one need, for some reason becomes dominant, all other things are pushed to the side and disappear from the picture.&rdquo;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Kruglanski discussed the case of violent extremism, and explained it using the model of the three N&rsquo;s; Need, Narrative, and Network. An important and key cause of extremism is the need for significance. He went on to say that while many motivations for terrorism are true, underlying them all is one quest for significance. Also, extremists depend on a narrative which suggests that the only way to achieve significance is extremism, and such a narrative is validated by the significant others in the network of the extremist. Kruglanski said that the quest for significance is activated through loss of significance. This loss can be caused by personal or social stigma, such as loss of identity.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> In conclusion, Kruglanski mentioned empirical evidence on extremism and the role of government in combatting it. He said that defeating extremism on the battlefield is not the only way; we also need to prevent it and reverse it as a trend. He also highlighted the need to reduce the feeling of insignificance through education and policy.

Speakers

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