Rethinking Extremism: Institutions,Identity,and the Edges of Organizing

Abstract

Extremist organizations and movements have long been examined in fields such as political science and sociology, often using organizational concepts to explain their structure and behavior. Yet within management and organization scholarship, extremism itself has rarely been theorized as an organizational phenomenon with implications for institutional dynamics. This essay develops a conceptual framework that positions extremism as a form of identity-driven institutional work that emerges when actors perceive existing institutions as incompatible with deeply held values. Under such conditions, institutional conflict may be framed as a zero-sum moral struggle, motivating disruptive efforts to delegitimize or dismantle institutional orders rather than reform them. Drawing on research from institutional theory, social movements, and extremism studies, I clarify how extremist organizing differs from related concepts such as institutional entrepreneurship and radical activism. In doing so, it highlights how extremism can reshape institutional boundaries, intensify field-level conflict, and influence organizational response to grand challenges.