ABSTRACT
The more recent changes in society, technology, economics and politics are often described by terms such as postmodernism and globalisation. This chapter will consider these trends and this terminology and apply it to the threat of extremism. Peters (2004) suggests that the factors driving postmodern extremism are based less on ideological concerns and more upon religious and ethnic/separatist causes than previously. Comparisons will be made in this chapter between older patterns of extremism and violence, for example the IRA in the 1970s and more recent extremism from within the jihadist movement.
