Dehumanization, demonization, and morality shifting: Paths to moral certainty in extremist violence

(from the chapter) We discuss here three ways in which moral uncertainty surrounding violent acts can be reduced, encouraging direct and indirect support for violence, before and after the fact. Although inspired by Bandura's theory of moral disengagement, we focus here on the contexts involved in extremist violence. We also want to clarify the term "moral disengagement." Although this term implies removal of moral concern, we see a more frightening potential in the positive moralization of violence. Specifically, violent extremism can be reconciled with the moral sense: 1) by dehumanizing or depersonalizing victims: removing them from moral consideration; 2) by demonizing victims: both removing them from moral consideration, and making it a moral duty to punish them; and 3) by morality shifting: moving the focus of judgment from harm and fairness to moral concerns favoring the in-group.