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In society and politics, radicalization or radicalisation (UK) refers to a change in the social and political attitudes, views, and associations of individual dissidents and protest groups, in a direction that is claimed or perceived to be "radicalism" and "extremism" (violent protest).

The term "radicalism" typically characterises activism (or a particular mode thereof) as irrational or unreasonable —where the term "activism" refers almost exclusively to non-violent protest. The term "radicalisation" refers to the process by which once passive or otherwise non-violent activists and protesters become militant and thereby use or advocate violence as a means to attain political goals. While such change may be indiscernible within individuals, the term is usually made in reference to political dissident groups, who over time have lost hope in other means for expression and protest, and overtly state their hostile intentions.

Radicalization itself is often the direct result of violence, where the "radicals" themselves have typically been the target and victim of violence and persecution. Otherwise individuals may feel empathy or sympathy with others who have been victimized by an oppressor —where such sympathy is often based in personal, ethic, or nationalist association or familiarity. Though radicalization is universally associated with an ideology —typically one based in political causes —it is less common for radicalism to emerge based on ideology alone, and personal factors often have a strong role. The goals of radicalization may be to gain political recognition, change, or to enact a retribution for previous injustices.

Where a society has been attacked and violated, religion and related ideologies naturally become the nexus of community and social strength and unity. This emphasis on religion is a variable, as determined by other social factors such as class, poverty, literacy, and (controversially) culture, as well as the particular aspects of religion which are cited as guiding in terms of ideology, philosophy, and behaviour.

The most notable form of radicalism in the world is Islamism, as currently known for its outward manifestations of violence ("terrorism")—what some "Islamists"¹ claim to be simple retribution and self-defence.² Notable historians characterise the 20th century history of Western (Anglo-American) military influence in the Middle East as imperialist and oppressive toward the region's inhabitants. As the natural consequence of violence is to inflame "radical" sentiment in the Muslim world, lacking any overriding secular ideology (such as Arab nationalism³) the locus for community strength and activism is the native religion.

In a broader historical context, some⁴ have claimed that current violence in the Middle East is traceable to much older ethnic divisions and conflicts, including the European repulsion of the Ottoman Empire, the Reconquista, the Crusades, and beyond.⁵ In this regard, some advocates of the "Clash of Civilizations" view have claimed that radicalization is intrinsic to Islam, rather than a product of the aggression of Western Empires. Others ⁶ state disagreement, claiming that the particular religion is irrelevant —what matters is that the pain and loss that come with death and various other personal violations and degradations have a natural human response.