From Traitor to Zealot
Exploring the Phenomenon of Side-Switching in Extremism and Terrorism

Explore the world of radicalization through the stories of those who switched between extreme political or religious ideologies.

Daniel Koehler (Author)

9781108842945, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 November 2021

350 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.6 cm, 0.68 kg

'Theoretically rich and storyline-driven, From Traitor to Zealot is an instant classic of the field. Koehler shines a bright light on a counter-intuitive phenomenon many are anecdotally aware of - extremists who switch sides - but the book will surprise many by outlining how common, complex and dramatical the process is.' Paul Gill, Professor of Security and Crime Science, University College London, UK

What makes a neo-Nazi become a convinced anti-fascist or a radical left-winger become a devout Salafist? How do they manage to fit into their new environment and gain acceptance as a former enemy? The people featured in this book made highly puzzling journeys, first venturing into extremist milieus and then deciding to switch to the opposite side. By using their extraordinary life-stories and their own narratives, this book provides the first in-depth analysis of how and why people move between seemingly opposing extremist environments that can sometimes overlap and influence each other. It aims to understand how these extremists manage to convince their new group that they can be trusted, which also allows us to dive deep into the psychology of extremism and terrorism. This fascinating work will be of immense value to those studying radicalization and counter-radicalization in terrorism studies, social psychology and political science.

Foreword
Preface
1. Betraying the cause? Side-switching and violent extremism
2. Nation, race and anti-semitism: switching to far-right extremism
3. Joining the far-left
4. Fighting on the path of Allah: joining Islamic extremism from the far-right and far-left
5. Who are extremist side-switchers and what drives them? Towards a theory of motivations and defector lifecycles
6, Breaking the cycle: learning how to improve counter-radicalization, counterterrorism and deradicalization programs
7. Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Terrorism, armed struggle [JPWL], Political science & theory [JPA], Politics & government [JP], Social, group or collective psychology [JMH], Psychology [JM], History: specific events & topics [HBT], History [HB]