ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on a contentious politics approach. Focusing on the internal dynamics of social movements, GianlucaDe Fazio argues that intra-movement competition and political outbidding are two key mechanisms conducive to radical contention. Social movement research examines various aspects of violent radicalization and terrorism such as the framing activities of militants, the development of their collective identities, the political opportunities and constraints available for violent mobilization. The chapter explores that intra-movement competition and political outbidding represent two key internal mechanisms leading to radicalization. Intra-movement competition refers to activists and groups vying for the allocation of material and symbolic resources which are typically scarce in a social movement. Political outbidding ignites when more radical factions of a political group use extreme claims to protect their people and interests, and formulate accusations of treachery against more moderate components. Finally, it is investigated how two internal relational mechanisms intra-movement competition and political outbidding combined to push the CRM toward its radicalization.