Deradicalising Violent Extremists

Terrorism remains one of the major threats facing the world community. While literature on the subject is dominated by discussion of the factors leading individuals and groups to join violent extremist, terrorist groups, the question of what can lead them to disengage from such groups is an equally important one. This book is the first study to provide a detailed analysis of both counter-radicalization and deradicalization programmes in eight Muslim-majority states, representing hitherto one of the largest, detailed, and most systematic inventory of such programmes in the world. Drawing on detailed case-studies from a number of countries, the book: traces the historical evolution of violent extremist groups and individuals in each country case study, including the period before independence; describes in detail states’ response to this phenomenon in each period; provides important empirical analyses for counter-and-deradicalization policies and programmes based on extensive fieldwork and interviews with state officials, former radicals, and members of civil society organizations in each country; provides a first systematic evaluation of the effectiveness and success of these programmes and policies; focuses simultaneously on factors that have led to deradicalization at an individual or organizational level, and on the macro environment, both external-global and internal, that encourages counter-radicalization and deradicalization of groups and individuals. The detailed comparative analyses allow the reader to identify conditions, both internal and external, which are conducive to both success and failure of counter-radicalization and deradicalization programmes, and the authors identify best practice and provide policy implications for states facing threats from violent extremism, as well as for international institutions and organizations working in the field of counter-terrorism.

This book provides a detailed analysis of both counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation programmes in eight Muslim-majority states, representing hitherto one of the largest, detailed and most systematic inventory of such programmes in the world.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the different aspects of deradicalization theories, programs and methods. It analyzes the practical and theoretical aspects of deradicalization programs and the methods being employed to bring extremists and terrorist back to a non-violent life. The book includes in-depth case studies on programs and former extremists, including interviews with former German neo-Nazis and families of Jihadists who have received deradicalization counselling. Using a coherent theory of radicalization and deradicalization, it integrates existing programs into a typology and methodology regarding the effects and concepts behind deradicalization. In addition, a current state of the art assessment of deradicalization programs around the world provides a collection of programs and landscapes worldwide. It thereby functions as a unique guide for practitioners and policymakers in need of evaluation or construction of such programs, as well as a resource pool for academics interested in research about deradicalization programs and processes. The major aim of this book is to consolidate the existing scholarship on deradicalization and to move the field forward by proposing a coherent theory of deradicalization, including ways to measure effectiveness, standard methods and procedures, different actors of such programs and cooperation on national and international level. In essence, this work enables the reader to identify how, when and why deradicalization programs work, how they can be built and structured, and to identify their limitations. This book will be of interest to students of radicalisation, counter-terrorism, radical Islam, criminology, security studies and IR.

The Routledge Handbook of Deradicalisation and Disengagement offers an overview of the historical settings, theoretical debates, national approaches and practical strategies to deradicalisation and disengagement. Radicalisation and violent extremism are major global challenges, and as new and violent extremist groups and environments emerge, there is an increasing need for knowledge about how individuals physically exit these movements and how to change their mindset. Historically, much of the focus on these topics has been highly securitised and militarised; by contrast, this volume explores the need for more community-based and ‘soft’ approaches. The handbook includes discussions from both right-wing/left-wing political and religiously inspired deradicalisation processes. The handbook is organised into three parts: 1 definitions, backgrounds and theories; 2 actors; 3 regional case studies. This handbook will be of much interest to students, researchers, scholars and professionals of deradicalisation, counterterrorism, political violence, political extremism, security studies and international relations in general.

The threat of terrorism, if not adequately managed, is likely to increase exponentially. As terrorist groups’ influence and networks spread globally, a concerted effort in counterterrorism strategy is critical to mitigating the threat they present. Governments facing the threat of terrorism are typically strengthening their law enforcement, military and intelligence capabilities, but more complex initiatives such as deradicalisation and terrorist rehabilitation are more time-consuming and less attention-grabbing and so tend to be neglected. It is all too easy to 'do' rehabilitation ineffectively or to simply ignore it altogether. This is unfortunate, as an effective rehabilitation strategy can yield dividends over the longer term. Every committed terrorist is a potential recruiter, whether in prison or at liberty, for more terrorists. Even in death, they can potentially be presented as martyrs. Conversely, successfully rehabilitated terrorists can be valuable assets in the public relations theatre of battle. There is no single, simple solution to the challenges of deradicalisation and rehabilitation, but this book places examples of best practice within a robust, but flexible, conceptual framework. It gives guidelines for establishing and implementing a successful deradicalisation or rehabilitation programme, derived from a series of empirical case studies of successful projects around the world. It sets out both the necessary and desirable facets of such a programme, identifying which areas to prioritise and where budgets can be best spent if resources are tight. The authors provide detailed case studies of each step to illustrate an approach that has worked and how best to replicate this success.

This book provides a detailed analysis of both counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation programmes in eight Muslim-majority states, representing hitherto one of the largest, detailed and most systematic inventory of such programmes in the world.

A collection of case studies of terrorist rehabilitation programmes from around the world, this book examines the wide-ranging methodologies of terrorist deradicalisation initiatives adopted by different countries globally. It contextualises these programmes as they were initiated and explains the factors that led to their relative success, failure or continuity. The different typology of rehabilitation modes acts as a guide to establishing a framework and a starting point for any deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme. These case studies demonstrate practical examples of how the theories can be applied to achieve real results. This book is an indispensable resource for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers in the field of Terrorist Deradicalisation and Rehabilitation.

This book presents an in-depth analysis of how statutory and third sector organisations have faced the challenge of dealing with former ‘terrorists’. Offering a theoretically robust, empirically rich account of work with ex-prisoners and those considered ‘at risk’ of involvement in extremism in the United Kingdom, Marsden dissects the problems governments are facing in dealing with the effects of 'radicalisation'. Increasingly, governments are struggling with the challenge of dealing with those who have become involved in extremism, and yet, comparatively little is known about how and why people renounce violence. Nor are existing efforts to ‘deradicalise’ extremists well understood. Arguing that reintegration is a more appropriate framework than ‘deradicalisation’, Marsden looks in detail at the mechanisms by which people can be supported to move away from extremism. By drawing out implications for policy, practice and academic debates around disengagement from radical subcultures, this book makes a significant contribution to an issue only likely to grow in importance for scholars of criminological theory, terrorism and justice.