ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between disengagement and deradicalization processes among 15 individuals who have left the neo-Nazi movement. The focus lies on the differences between individuals who disengaged publicly, that is, those who did not or could not conceal their engagement with the movement, and individuals who were able to and/or wanted to keep their past a secret. The analysis of the interviews focuses on the outcomes of revealed or concealed stigmatization, in particular in relation to how disengagement was or was not followed by deradicalization. The findings suggest that those who disengaged publicly followed a clear path from disengagement to deradicalization, whereas those who tried to conceal their former involvement in the neo-Nazi movement showed a more complex pattern. Among the latter are individuals who are not yet deradicalized. However, they want to live ‘ordinary’ lives and have a family, free from fear that neighbors or people at work will stigmatize them and dissociate themselves from them. It is also clear that these informants were to a greater extent dissatisfied with life in general.
