ABSTRACT
This chapter is dedicated describes the historic discontinuity of radicalization. It outlines the puzzle in detail. Subsequently, right wing politics in the media and the discourse on the Muhammed cartoons is elaborated upon before radicalization on the Muhammed cartoons will be explained in a last step. The chapter attributes with positive connotations such as moderate, freedom, and enlightened are juxtaposed with negative attributes such as terrorism, oppression, and intolerance. These signifiers on each side describe the signifiers of the Islamic public sphere versus the European political sphere. Both spheres symbolize identities of the European Muslim. The identification with European democracy thereby increases for individuals who are better integrated. Islamic terrorism appeared in Europe as of the mid 1990s, starting with bombings in France. The first generation of Muslim immigrants shared few commonalities with the countries they came to work in.
