"De jagar egentligen alla hål i sin kropp och själ" : Att avhålla sig från våldsbejakande islamistisk extremism - ett kvalitativt perspektiv

Sammanfattning: Title: They are searching for the holes in their bodies and souls – desistance from violent Islamic extremism, a qualitative approach.   This essay aims to provide a deeper understanding and insight into why individuals choose to leave violence-promoting Islamist environments. The choice of method has been qualitative. The essay consists of four semi-structured interviews with key informants. The interview material has been transcribed and coded individually by both authors. The study has taken an integrated theoretical approach where the main framework consists of a life course perspective supported by Hirschi’s theory of social bonds, Merton’s theory of strain and Sutherland’s theory of differential associations. The main findings show that possible turning points with regards to desistance related to violence-promoting Islamist environments primarily consists of aspects related to belonging and social contexts. In other words, this essay shows that social relations are an integral part with regards to desistance. The findings closely correspond to those of previous studies within the field. The findings are supported by the study’s theoretical framework where pro-social community interactions strengthen the social bonds to society through differential associations, this in turn leads to a decreased amount of strain.