Achmad Najib Burhani et. all, Factors Causing the Emergence of Radical Islam ICIP JOURNAL – VOL 2, NO. 4, AUGUST 2005 1 Factors Causing the Emergence of Radical Islam: Preliminary Analysis Achmad Najib Burhani, Agus Muhammad, Edi Sudarjat Khamami Zada, and Nur Hidayah * There are many reason why people become radical, tolerant, peaceful, smiling, and angry. Tracing and understanding the causes of radicalism are important steps to eliminate or to heal such nature. Tracing the factors causing people to radicalise is an initial step to take to build peace. This chapter will study the symptoms and roots of such radicalism. From the findings of the field research, the roots of radicalism can be traced from the five big themes: theology, politics, economy, socio-culture, and media. Political factor seems to be the direct factor causing radicalism, however, these factors are intertwined. Radical actions cannot occur by relying only on political factor. Other factors play important roles as well. Therefore, all factors that determine radicalism should be paid attention equally. Why do radical Islamists appear? Why such radical perceptions emerge? Radicalism does occur in every religion. Radical nature is not only a special character or derivative nature of Islam followers. Moreover, becoming radical Muslim is not a sudden process. There are many reason why people become radical, tolerant, peaceful, smiling, and angry. Tracing and understanding the causes of radicalism are important steps to eliminate or to heal such nature. Tracing the factors causing people to radicalise is an initial step to take to build peace. This chapter will study the symptoms and roots of such radicalism. From the findings of the field research, the roots of radicalism can be traced from the five big themes: theology, politics, economy, socio-culture, and media. Political factor seems to be the direct factor causing radicalism, however, these factors are intertwined. Radical actions cannot occur by relying only on political factor. Other factors play important roles as well. Therefore, all factors that determine radicalism should be paid attention equally. * The writers are ICIP’s research staffs. They conducted the research on June to September 2004. This is part of their research report.