RT Article T1 The Complexity of Radicalization and Recruitment in Kwale, Kenya JF Terrorism and political violence VO 33 IS 1 SP 26 OP 48 A1 Mkutu, Kennedy A1 Opondo, Vincent A2 Opondo, Vincent LA English YR 2021 UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1748353535 AB Al-Shabaab, the East-African affiliate of Al Qaeda has carried out a number of large-scale devastating attacks in the region and a steady stream of smaller scale ones. In recent years Al-Shabaab’s ongoing strength has relied upon its ability to build local support within Kenya. This work looks at Kwale County on Kenya’s coast and examines some of the factors involved in radicalization and/or recruitment into the group, including economic hardship, historical marginalization, land injustices, drugs, problems at the family level and poor relationships with state security agencies. It highlights the more recent phenomenon of those returning from fighting with Al-Shabaab and the problems of their reintegration. It concludes that there are a number of phenomenon related in complex and sometimes self-perpetuating ways which all need to be considered in the response to radicalization and recruitment. K1 Marginalization K1 Poverty K1 Radicalization K1 East Africa K1 violent extremism DO 10.1080/09546553.2018.1520700