The term “radicalization” has become a hot and sexy topic as of late. Radicalized youth of all genres, be they Jihadist, radical Islamist, Left-wing, Right-wing, White Supremacist; have proven to be of concern to law enforcement, government officials, intelligence groups, and the Diaspora at large. Concerns also resonate in the communities of those affected by the radicalization process. The radicalization of young people, it should be noted, is not a new thing.

It has however, garnered International attention in the recent years, partially due to the propensity of the actions of those involved. When looking at the issue of any genre of radicalized youth or of individuals of any age for that matter, it is imperative to look at the etymology of the word and a proper definition of the term.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2013) defines radical as having extreme political or social views that are not shared by most people. Its synonyms are extremist, fanatic (or fanatical) rabid, extreme, revolutionary, revolutionist and ultra. The term radicalize has been defined as to make radical, especially in politics. Therefore, radicalization, it is safe to say is the process by which individuals adopt extreme political, social or religious views and ideals.
It is the process and by which these individuals (generally youth) implement these ideals and views into their daily lives.

The steady rise in radicalized young people on a global scale, along with the changes in social and political environments, as well as, the flourishing of various global groups has been propagated or advanced in many cases through the use of the material housed on the Internet and the dark web.