How do Revolting Young People Become Radicals – The Case of Slovakia

Abstract

Radicalisation of young people is a gradual process. Emptiness in a form of distrust has spread into all areas of human life (work, family, church, etc.) and has led to indifference and passivity. This, coupled with young person’s disintegration in terms of values and norms (disintegration) and social isolation (disorganization), prompts some sort of revolt. Losing footing in many life situations, the young person resorts to expressions of anger, which, if left unresolved, gradually grows into aggression and violence. The paper aims to identify and describe the sources of anger and frustration of young radicals in Slovakia. It also outlines the most common targets of their aggression. Close attention is paid to Slovak conscripts (Slovenskí branci), one of the radical groups in Slovakia. The Slovak Ministry of Defence regards this paramilitary group as a security threat. The theoretical part of the paper is based on works of sociologists who introduce the concept of indifferent society (Lipovetsky 2008) and examine barriers that hinder young people’s integration (Durkheim 1973). Defining aggression and violence that originate in anger is based on Arendt’s study (2004). The empirical part of the paper is a result of the qualitative research conducted among young radicals, aged 14-17 in Slovakia in a form of case studies. Keywords: indifference, disintegration, revolt, anger, aggression