What explains online radicalization and support for ISIS in the West?
Over the past few years, thousands of individuals have radicalized
by consuming extremist content online, many of whom eventually
traveled overseas to join the Islamic State. This study examines
whether anti-Muslim hostility might drive pro-ISIS radicalization in
Western Europe. Using new geo-referenced data on the online behavior
of thousands of Islamic State sympathizers in France, the United
Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium, I study whether the intensity of
anti-Muslim hostility at the local level is linked to pro-ISIS
radicalization on Twitter. The results show that local-level
measures of anti-Muslim animosity correlate significantly and
substantively with indicators of online radicalization, including
posting tweets sympathizing with ISIS, describing life in
ISIS-controlled territories, and discussing foreign fighters.
High-frequency data surrounding events that stir support for
ISIS—terrorist attacks, propaganda releases, and anti-Muslim
protests—show the same pattern.