The Radicalization of the Kanes: Family as a Primary Group Influence?

The extant literature speaks to the complexity involved in terrorist radicalization, yet has been unduly focused on jihadists. This is especially problematic given that other ideologically motivated movements have demonstrated a larger threat to the US homeland, like that of right-wing extremists. In addition, few US-based studies have focused on the role that one potentially important factor may have in these processes: that of the family. We seek to rectify this gap in the research by examining two “typical” case studies: Jerry Jr. and Joseph Kane. Informed by a social learning and social structure framework (SSSL), we find several instances where this primary group both created and reinforced definitions favorable to terrorism.