ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the vicissitudes of Western jihadism have historically been shaped by the interaction of two macro variables. The first is internal, represented by factors such as the presence of radicalizing agents, the socio-economic marginalization of local Muslim communities, and the effectiveness of local counter-terrorism efforts. The second is external, i.e. conflicts and events taking place outside of the West, which serve as mobilization triggers for Western jihadists.
Over the last couple of years, as a consequence of the crisis of key jihadist groups such as the Islamic State and al Qaeda and the lack of major conflicts functioning as magnets for aspiring jihadists, the Western jihadist scene appears to be in a phase of strategic confusion. Actors and networks that support jihadist ideology are still very much present in all Western countries, but they have not mobilized with the same intensity as in previous years.
The chapter then analyses various features of the West's heterogeneous jihadist scene in this transitional phase, from the role of non-violent Islamist groups to that of the internet, from returning foreign fighters to post-Caliphate radicalization
