In the past years, ‘radicalisation' has become a buzzword amongst experts and policymakers. However, among the wealth of publications and research on the issue, there is little that would explain what radicalisation entails, ‘connect the dots' and provide a comprehensive overview of what drives the process.

Yet, such a ‘big picture' model is badly needed, not least because it would allow governments to formulate targeted strategies rather than continue to deal with the problem in a disorganised, ad hoc fashion.

If radicalisation is a process, it will be possible to divide it into discreet steps and construct a model - the ‘radicalisation cycle' - which identifies the underlying conditions and drivers at each point of the process. These steps may include: ‘attraction', ‘involvement', ‘commitment', ‘joining', ‘participation in violence', ‘disillusionment', and ‘exit'.

To stop individuals from proceeding along the cycle, we need to understand how each step can be recognised, how one leads to the next, and what types interventions can be effective in breaking the cycle at each stage.

Our assumption is that intervening at the early stages will be less costly than stopping an individual who finds him/herself at the ‘violence' stage. We also believe that it will be critical to identify the factors that facilitate ‘exit' from extremist organisations.

Our research will be conducted in 2008 and involve extensive desk-based research as well as fieldwork. We will refine our model in a number of roundtable events with officials as well as former radicals themselves.

We will present our comprehensive ‘radicalisation cycle' to governments, experts and the media. We will also make ourselves available to governments and other relevant agencies for further advice and consultation.