An interdisciplinary study on the intersection of the crime prevention and the counter radicalization literature

The object of this dissertation is to examine to what extent crime prevention and counter radicalization literature overlap, resemble and borrow from each other. As a newly emerging field, counter radicalization tries to stand as an alternative to terrorism as warfare understanding. However, while doing that, it sets aside the conceptual ambiguities of terrorism, radicalism, extremism and radicalization. Besides, counter radicalization builds its literature on "radicalization leads to violence" premise. Also, it is seen that a significant portion of the previous counter radicalization studies deliberately or inadvertently borrow from crime prevention literature. This study argues that such a liberal approach is problematic and sets the following statement as the main argument of the dissertation: Whereas crime prevention aims to preserve the legal status quo, counter radicalization literature actively contributes to the preservation of the political as well as the legal status quo. This is because eradication of radicalism is not purely legal but also political.