Disengagement vs Deradicalisation
Definition
Disengagement: ceasing to participate in extremist activity without necessarily changing underlying beliefs. Deradicalisation: changing the beliefs and identity constructs that motivated extremism. Research (Horgan, Speckhard) consistently finds disengagement more achievable; effective programmes provide alternative identity pathways and practical support rather than direct ideological challenge.
- Disengagement
- Stopping extremist activity, beliefs may persist
- Deradicalisation
- Changing underlying beliefs and identity
- Key researchers
- John Horgan, Anne Speckhard
- Research finding
- Disengagement is more achievable in practice
Common questions
Why do effective programmes target disengagement rather than deradicalisation?+
Changing behaviour by offering an alternative identity and practical support (employment, social connection, exit assistance) has proven more tractable than trying to directly dismantle someone's ideological beliefs, which research finds resistant to direct challenge.
Does disengagement mean the person is no longer a risk?+
Not necessarily. Someone can stop active participation while still holding extremist beliefs, so risk assessment continues to monitor for possible re-engagement even after behavioural disengagement is observed.
Related terms
- BNS § 113 and UAPA
- BNS 2023 § 113 creates the general criminal offence of terrorist act in India. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 (as amended...
- Channel Programme (UK)
- The referral and multi-agency assessment pathway within UK Prevent. Any public-sector professional can refer an individual; a Channel panel assesses vulnerability and...
- Leakage
- Intentional or unintentional communication of intent to commit violence to a third party. One of TRAP-18's eight proximal warning behaviours and the...
- McCauley-Moskalenko Two-Pyramid Model
- Conceptual framework (Friction, 2011) distinguishing the opinion pyramid (distribution of extreme views) from the action pyramid (distribution of extremist behaviour). The two...
- TRAP-18 (Terrorist Radicalisation Assessment Protocol)
- 18-indicator structured professional judgement instrument by Reid Meloy, Roshdi, Guldimann and Hoffmann (2014). Distinguishes 8 proximal warning behaviours (leakage, pathway, fixation, novel...
- VERA-2R (Violent Extremism Risk Assessment)
- Structured professional judgement instrument by Elaine Pressman and John Flockton (2010, revised) for known extremist individuals in contact with the justice or...