Dr. Rik Peels is a Professor in Philosophy and Theology of Radicalisation at the Faculty of Humanities at the Free University of Amsterdam. Rik specialises in the ethics and epistemology of belief, in particular extreme belief, and replication in the humanities. He has developed a theory of responsible belief, studied ignorance, criticised scientism and developed…
Coordinated and Produced by Elisa Garbil Today Dominic hosts Rik Peels on the podcast to discuss religious extremism. They dive into the background of radicalisation; the differences between extremism, fundamentalism, and conspiracy theories; what the global patterns are; what role belief systems play in radicalisation; why radicalisation has such an impact on crises; and more! Dr. Rik…
Written by Elisa Garbil – 10.07.2025 Religious extremism is often portrayed in stark and simplistic terms, dangerous, irrational, and rooted in blind faith. But research from philosophers, psychologists, and international organisations paints a more nuanced picture. It reveals that extremism isn’t solely about belief systems; it’s about identity, psychological vulnerabilities, and the socio-political environments in…
