ABSTRACT

This book presents an in-depth case study of thirteen individuals who moved away from terrorist activity in Turkey. Setting their life stories in the context of political violence in support of Kurdish independence and a leftist revolution, and the response of the Turkish state, the book examines how the individuals were motivated to become involved in terrorism, how they participated, why they became disillusioned, and above all how they coped with the difficult process of disengagement. The book then draws out general lessons on how individuals can be encouraged to move away from terrorism, and especially on how states can construct repentance mechanisms, and protection mechanisms, to assist with this. The book is a particularly rich valuable source on why people move away from terrorism as most books in the field concentrate on why people become terrorists, and on "terrorist profiling".

chapter 1|11 pages

Introduction

chapter 3|48 pages

Separation stage

Turkish Penitents' paths to political violence

chapter 4|21 pages

Transition stage I

Life in the PKK and revolutionary groups

chapter 5|47 pages

Transition stage II

Causes of disillusionment and exit from the groups

chapter 6|34 pages

Transition stage III

Difficulties and resources for disengagement

chapter 7|27 pages

Reincorporation

Politics of repentance and life after violence

chapter 8|14 pages

Conclusion