In this article, the authors examine how in past studies related to radicalization and counter-radicalization the experiences of former extremists have been used to inform the understanding of such issues.
For this purpose, empirical research on radicalization and counter-radicalization that incorporates formers in the research designs was synthetized, specially in regard to how some common patterns in the formers experiences recur and are expressed:
- extremist precursors;
- radicalization toward extremist violence;
- leaving violent extremism;
- combating violent extremism.
Overall, this article provides researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with an in-depth account of how formers have informed radicalization and counter-radicalization research in recent years as well as an overview of some of the key gaps in the empirical literature, and while analysis results show how former extremists have been a valuable source of information in the comprehension of these phenomena, this area of empirical research remains in its infancy and requires further investigation.
Learn more about study here: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1521-613620200000025012
Reference
Scrivens, R., Windisch, S., & Simi, P. (2020). FORMER EXTREMISTS IN RADICALIZATION AND COUNTER-RADICALIZATION RESEARCH. Sociology of Crime Law and Deviance, 25, 209–224