This paper suggests that a clear, non-normative definition of political extremism will allow scholars to be clear about what they are investigating. This definition will not focus on the use of violence or whether the political beliefs seem nefarious or absurd to the researcher. Instead, it will assert that political extremism is best understood as subversive political activity that aims to replace the dominant political system.
Because this definition necessarily summons a comparison between the group or individuals under consideration and the context in which they operate, it can be applied when investigating extremism in any context. It allows for the possibility that political extremism in one context may not be political extremism in a different context (e.g., bribery may be extremist in one state while being a part of normal political behavior in another state). It also can be employed in investigations of politics outside of the normal understanding of that term (internal politics of religious or social groups, for example). Finally, it suggests that political extremism relies on particular understandings of history, of the current crisis that requires action, and of the inevitable outcomes of action or inaction on behalf of political goals.
