Disengaged but Still Radical? Pathways Out of Violent Right-Wing Extremism

Abstract

Research has overwhelmingly focused on pathways into violent extremism, but few empirically grounded analyses have examined pathways out of violent extremism. Even less is empirically known about the interactions between processes of disengagement and deradicalization from violent extremism. To address this gap, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten Canadian former right-wing extremists who were actively involved in violent racist skinhead groups, with interview questions provided by thirty Canadian law enforcement officials and ten local community activists. Participants were asked about their pathways out of violent extremism with a particular emphasis on processes of disengagement and deradicalization. Overall, our study findings highlight the multifaceted and multidimensional nature of pathways out of violent extremism as well as how radical beliefs persist beyond disengagement from violent extremism. We conclude with a discussion of the study limitations and avenues for future research.