Rethinking radicalism

How often in the past week have you read or heard the words ‘radical’ or ‘extremist’? What separates such groups from those propagating violence for a more ‘just’ cause? The labelling of certain groups as terrorist delegitimizes their actions. Since the power to recognize an organization as terrorist lies in the hands of the state, certain groups with greater networks of power get more legitimacy than others. Ranging from neo- Nazi groups to upper caste Hindus in India, systematic violence has been propagated by many dominant collectives with access to resources and power. The anxiety surrounding refugees and illegal migration has given resurgence to the extreme right in nations across the world has from the Alternative for Germany party to Donald Trump. Does the violence of the state legitimize itself merely because it is being undertaken by one of the most powerful institutions in society?