The Intersection of Culture and Radicalism: Analyzing Disaffection, Norms, and Resistance

Abstract

Radicalization in Pakistan has frequently taken center stage in national discussions and has raised serious concerns for the government and society. The goal of this study is to investigate the cultural elements that contribute to radicalization in Pakistan. This study employs a qualitative research design and both descriptive and analytical method for a contextual interpretation of cultural phenomena. Data collection relies on a dualtriangulation strategy incorporating both primary and secondary sources. A purposive sampling technique was applied to conduct interviews from the targeted population of academicians, researchers and policy analysts. Thematic analysis technique was used to scrutinize the data. The central thesis of the research is that intricate processes of cultural transformation are taking place in Pakistan and that the country’s culture is evolving. The processes of cultural transformation, political culture, folk culture, national and local cultures, and monoculture are analyzed in the paper. It is argued that one of the causes of radicalization has been Pakistan’s cultural realities. The main cultural factors of radicalization in Pakistan are the highly skewed educational system, the deeply divided and sectarian religious culture, and the wildly unequal economic culture.