ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the relationships between youth radicalism and religious extremism, with a focus on Nigeria and Kenya. It argues that religious ideology and particularly its misinterpretation by religious fundamentalists is a key variable for radicalism. In the two study contexts, Nigeria and Kenya, the uptake of Salafi Jihadism remains prominent in this discourse. In situating the two case studies, the use of social movement theory as a theoretical explanation helps to demonstrate how the two movements frame their discourse and consequent recruitment into violent religious extremism. The discussion in this chapter also calls for caution in making a distinction between extremism and violent extremism. Thus, the chapter weighs into the discourse on non-violent extremism which does not necessarily transmute to violence Jihadism.
