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Disengagement from Ideologically-based and Violent Organizations: A Systematic Review of the Literature

NCJ Number
304704
Journal
Journal for Deradicalization Volume: 9 Dated: Winter 2016/2017 Pages: 1-38
Author(s)
Steven Windisch; Pete Simi; Gina SottLigon; Hillary McNeel
Date Published
2016
Length
38 pages
Annotation

This article reports on a systematic review of the literature on disengagement from ideologically based and violent organizations.

Abstract

Research  on  disengagement  from  violent  extremism  is  an  emerging  field of inquiry.  As compared   to   the   related   field   of   radicalization,   there   have   been   fewer   studies   of disengagement. Further, little effort has been made to conduct a large scale, systematic review of what is currently known about disengagement from violent extremism. This type of meta-literature assessment can play an important role in terms of informing strategies and programs designed  to  facilitate  exit.  To  help  fill  this  gap,  our  project  systematically  examines  the disengagement  literature  to  determine  the range  and  frequency  of  various  exit  factors identified  in  previous  studies.  We  also  rely  on  parallel  literatures  such  as  exit  from  street gangs, mainstream religious groups, cults, and nonviolent social movements to build a robust sample  of  studies  that  assess  the  extent  to  which  group  exit  factors  may  generalize  across different populations. (Publisher Abstract)