Abstract
This mixed-method study aims to explore adolescents’ experiences of social adversity and how these experiences are associated with support for violent radicalization (VR) within the school context. A total of 1911 students (M
age = 15.7; SDage = 0.98; age range 14–18; 49% girls; 73% Canadian-born) responded to an online survey and four focus groups were conducted with 17 adolescents. Results indicated that experiences of social adversity are very common and are associated with more support for VR and with feelings of injustice and conflictual communication among youth. A democratic school climate can mitigate the association between school unsafety and support for VR. Schools need to create safe and democratic spaces for youth to express themselves and gain some agency.