A former extremist relapsed identity growth to distancing himself from exit-program support
Evidence
From his perspective, while he greatly appreciated the initial support he received from the Exit program, which he viewed as essential to his initial first steps away from the extremist organization, he nevertheless perceived his later “distance [from Exit]” and from the former community itself, as crucial to his identity development and ultimately to his successful deradicalization. — Amy Fisher-Smith, Charles R. Sullivan, John D. Macready, and Geoffrey Manzi, Identity Reconfiguration and the Core…, 688
Categorization
- XREF: Connects to the reader’s core inquiry into whether disengagement is felt as liberation or as abandonment—this participant experienced exit-program distance as liberating. — connects to: Leaving extremism requires bridging relationships that scaffold a new identity — Amy Fisher-Smith, Charles R. Sullivan, John D. Macready, and Geoffrey Manzi, Identity Reconfiguration and the Core…, 618; Attempting to quit extremism can itself escalate a person into a worse group — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 366; A stigmatized identity becomes concealable and then actively disowned — Cornel Verwey and Michael Quayle, Whiteness, racism, and Afrikaner…, 73 (+2 more)
- ADDENDUM: Resonates with the ‘On Sacrifice’ piece’s theme of costly separation; also relevant to how support structures must eventually release the subject.
Broader Connections
- Attempting to quit extremism can itself escalate a person into a worse group
#exemplifies(0.85) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 366 - A stigmatized identity becomes concealable and then actively disowned
#exemplifies(0.82) — Cornel Verwey and Michael Quayle, Whiteness, racism, and Afrikaner…, 73 - Exiting extremism rarely is final and resembles addiction withdrawal
#corroborates(0.78) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 197 - Political events can re-trigger radical feelings years after an extremist exit.
#corroborates(0.75) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 457