Abstract

This study examines how economic crises and minority discrimination shape domestic terrorism in European democracies since 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, while evaluating whether counter-terrorism strategies mitigate or intensify these dynamics. Drawing on Relative Deprivation (RD) theory, it argues that political violence emerges not from absolute poverty, but from the perceived gap between expectations and lived realities, particularly when economic hardship intersects with identity-based exclusion. Using a comparative case study and a Most Similar Systems Design, the research focuses on France and the United Kingdom, two liberal democracies with similar socio-economic contexts but differing counter-terrorism models. It combines quantitative data from sources such as OECD, Eurostat, and the Global Terrorism Database with qualitative evidence on discrimination, labor market disparities, and policy responses to assess both structural drivers of radicalization and the role of state intervention.

The findings suggest that persistent socio-economic inequality and perceived discrimination among minority populations create conditions conducive to radicalization. At the same time, securitized counter-terrorism approaches may reinforce grievances and exclusion, whereas more inclusive and preventative strategies have the potential to reduce them, though they remain contested. Overall, the study concludes that while structural conditions are important drivers of domestic terrorism, state responses play a decisive role in shaping whether these grievances are amplified or mitigated, contributing to broader debates on security, governance, and social cohesion in liberal democracies.

Advisor

Lantis, Jeffrey

Department

Political Science

Disciplines

Economics | Political Science | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2026 Anthony Aye