Deradicalization of Islamists: Theoretical approaches (historiographical aspect)

Abstract

The article is an analysis of academic approaches to the problem of deradicalization of Islamists. Over the past 20 years, programs for the deradicalization of Islamists have been operating in many countries of the world. From the second half of the 2010s, there is an actualization of the problem of deradicalization of Islamists in Russia, where the experience of foreign countries and various strategies and practices of deradicalization began to be critically received. The author notes that all deradicalization programs are structurally similar and consist of various blocks - religious, educational, psychological, social rehabilitation. Great importance in the de-radicalization programs is given to religious dialogue with Ulama, Imams and religious authorities. The final part of the programs is the return of the participants to their community and family. The programs are aimed at changing not only the behavior of the program participant, namely his refusal to use violence in the implementation of political goals, but also at changing their key attitudes and values. The author pays special attention to the problems of definitions “deradicalization” and “disengagement”. Disengagement refers to a change in the radical Islamist’s behavior, renunciation of the use of violence, exit (usually, but not always) from an extremist organization, while the persons can continue to adhere to their beliefs and radical worldview. Deradicalization is the process by which an Islamist renounces not only the use of violence, but also an extremist ideology, leaves an extremist group and adopts a new value system that rejects violence as a way to achieve political goals. The historiographic analysis of the literature allowed the author to identify recommendations that are important in the implementation of programs and current practices of deradicalization.