Stories from Jihadists: Significance, identity, and radicalization through the call for Jihad

The present study aims to explore how narratives, stories, and memories are planted in the Jihadists' mind. In particular, the primary concern of this study is the interests of Indonesian Muslims to join Jihadist groups and their willingness to sacrifice possessions, families, and even lives. Five main informants who are members of Jihadi groups in Indonesia and 18 additional informants who have been linked with key informants participated in this study. The findings revealed the motivation of personal significance through 4 steps of radicalization. We found that the narratives of the Jihadists were an expression of the self-worth that is motivated by the need to increase the quest for significance in God's eyes. This study highlights the importance of alternatives to meaning in societies that are available and accessible by Jihadists to facilitate their reaching a self-fulfilled identity. This self-fulfillment may prevent the Jihadists from being manipulated by leaders from radical groups to perform a radical collective action.