A Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Analysis of Extremist Radicalization

This analysis contrasts two concepts, (a) Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory and (b) the idea of radicalization as martialization, for their impact on potential radicalization into extremist behavior. The cultural dimensions theory has developed over several decades and currently uses six dimensions to provide insight into societal norms. Similarly, radicalization as martialization presents six common themes which align well with the cultural dimensions. Whereas cultural dimensions describe how society inadvertently potentiates some susceptibility to radical behavior, martialization themes describe efforts to exploit these vulnerabilities. The two concepts can thus be analyzed concurrently to provide greater insight into the nature of radicalization.