Key Terms and Definitions for Operational Use

(Rethinking Counter-Terrorism: Beyond Ideology—Violence, Vulnerability, and Deterrence in the Age of Hybrid Threats)

 

Clear terminology supports coordinated action. The following definitions are intended to guide consistent interpretation across safeguarding, policing, education, and community sectors.

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Radicalisation
A dynamic and non-linear process by which an individual adopts ideas, beliefs, or behaviours that justify or promote violence to express personal, religious, or political grievances. Radicalisation can occur without clear ideological coherence and is often shaped by emotional, social, and environmental factors.
Sources: McCauley & Moskalenko (2008); Borum (2011)

UK Government Definition:

“The process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups.”
— HM Government, Prevent Duty Guidance (2015)

 

Vulnerability
A state of exposure to factors increasing the likelihood of harm or exploitation—such as trauma, mental health difficulties, social exclusion, or developmental conditions. Vulnerability signals a need for safeguarding and support, not a presumption of threat.
Sources: Weine et al. (2016); van der Heide (2017)

UK Government Definition:

“The condition of being in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect.”
— HM Government, Prevent Glossary of Terms

 

Susceptibility
A transitional and context-dependent condition in which a person, due to unmet emotional, psychological, or social needs, may be more open to harmful narratives or manipulative influences. Susceptibility requires proportionate, tailored interventions—often at the intersection of welfare and risk.
Sources: Koehler (2017); Gill et al. (2014)

UK Government Definition:

“The likelihood of an individual being influenced or harmed by extremist ideologies that support or radicalise people into terrorism.”
— HM Government, Prevent Glossary of Terms

 

Extremism
The vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. Also includes calls for violence against members of the armed forces.
— HM Government, Counter-Extremism Strategy (2015)

 

Ideology
A set of beliefs, principles, and objectives to which an individual or group purports to adhere and attempts to instil in others, potentially radicalising them towards terrorism.
— HM Government, Prevent Glossary of Terms

 

Terrorism
The use or threat of serious violence against a person or serious damage to property for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial, or ideological cause, aiming to influence the government or intimidate the public.
— Terrorism Act 2000

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Idiosyncratic Radicalisation
Highly individualised pathways to violence not aligned with collective ideological goals, emerging from personal grievance, humiliation, or the pursuit of notoriety. This helps distinguish actors such as incel-inspired attackers or mass shooters from ideologically motivated terrorists.
Sources: Corner & Gill (2015); Gill, Horgan & Deckert (2014); Borum (2011)

 

Lone Mass Violence Actor (LMVA)
An individual who commits a high-impact act of violence (e.g., mass shooting, knife attack) alone, often without direct ties to terrorist groups. Motivated by personal grievance, nihilism, or identity crisis rather than ideology.
Sources: Capellan (2015); Meloy & Gill (2016)

 

Pre-Crime Space
A conceptual area of policing and intervention focused on identifying and preventing potential future crimes before they occur. This presents challenges, as actions must balance prevention with civil liberties in the absence of an existing offence.
Adapted from: Prevent Learning Review (2025); scholarly literature on pre-emptive policing

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Safeguarding
The proactive measures taken to protect individuals—especially children and vulnerable adults—from abuse, neglect, or exploitation, ensuring their health, wellbeing, and human rights.
Common usage in social care and education sectors

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Behavioural Risks
Observable actions or patterns (e.g., aggression, weapon-carrying, social withdrawal) that may indicate potential for harm to self or others, used alongside ideological factors to assess threat.
Derived from: Prevent Learning Review (2025); risk assessment literature

 

Algorithmic Radicalisation
The process by which individuals are exposed to and drawn into extremist content through recommendation algorithms on digital platforms, which may unintentionally steer users towards increasingly extreme material.
Sources: O’Callaghan et al. (2015); Tufekci (2018)

 

Echo Chambers
Digital or social environments in which individuals predominantly encounter information and opinions that reinforce their existing views, limiting exposure to dissenting perspectives and potentially intensifying radical beliefs.
Source: Sunstein (2001)

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Hostile Attribution Bias
A cognitive tendency to interpret others' ambiguous behaviours as hostile, which can increase aggressive responses. This bias is often associated with exposure to violence and antisocial environments.
Source: Dodge (2006)

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Securitisation Theory
A framework in security studies explaining how certain issues become framed as existential threats by political actors, thereby justifying emergency or exceptional measures.
Source: Buzan, Wæver, & de Wilde (1998)

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Why These Terms Matter:

• Ambiguity causes misalignment in safeguarding, education, and law enforcement.

• Clear definitions support early, proportionate responses and multi-agency collaboration.

• Precision in language protects both public safety and individual rights.

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⚠ Note: Operational use of these terms must always be accompanied by individualised assessment. Avoid fixed profiling or stigma. Language shapes outcomes—precision protects rights and improves response.