Disengaging from Terrorism: A Northern Irish Experience

Ferguson, Neil (2016) Disengaging from Terrorism: A Northern Irish Experience. Journal for Deradicalization, 6 (1). pp. 1-28. ISSN 2363-9849 (Accepted for Publication)

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Abstract

This article explores the disengagement and deradicalization experiences of Northern Irish loyalist paramilitaries from the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Red Hand Commando (RHC). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to develop an understanding of how the former combatants interpreted and made sense of their disengagement from violence extremism in Northern Ireland after the Belfast Agreement. The analysis of the interviews focusses around push and pull factors which either promote or hinder their ability to move away from violent extremism. The results find a resonance with recent research exploring disengagement and deradicalization processes with terror groupings across the globe and the ideological spectrum. The findings are discussed in relation to a number of topics, including the role of prison, barriers to disengagement, continued commitment and radicalization after desistence from violent extremism, the role of life changes in promoting disengagement and how organizational pressures contain and influence individual disengagement.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information and Comments: Article released under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 International
Keywords: disengagement, deradicalization, terrorism, Northern Ireland, extremism, radicalization
Faculty / Department: Faculty of Human and Digital Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Neil Ferguson
Date Deposited: 08 Apr 2016 11:50
Last Modified: 08 Apr 2016 11:50
URI: https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/1086

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