Home, Land, Security - Deradicalization and the Journey Back from Extremism

PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST A provocative and deeply reported look into the emerging field of deradicalization (Esquire), told through the stories of former militants and the people working to bring them back into society

What are the roots of radicalism? Journalist Carla Power came to this question well before the January 6, 2021, attack in Washington, D.C., turned our country s attention to the problem of domestic radicalization. Her entry point was a different wave of radical panic the way populists and pundits encouraged us to see the young people who joined ISIS or other terrorist organizations as simple monsters. Power wanted to chip away at the stereotypes by focusing not on what these young people had done but why: What drew them into militancy? What visions of the world of home, of land, of security for themselves and the people they loved shifted their thinking toward radical beliefs? And what visions of the world might bring them back to society?

Power be gins her journey by talking to the mothers of young men who d joined ISIS in the UK and Canada; from there, she travels around the world in search of societies that are finding new and innovative ways to rehabilitate former extremists. We meet an American judge who has staked his career on finding new ways to handle terrorist suspects, a Pakistani woman running a game-changing school for former child soldiers, a radicalized Somali American who learns through literature to see beyond his Manichean beliefs, and a former neo-Nazi who now helps disarm white supremacists. Along the way Power gleans lessons that get her closer to answering the true question at the heart of her pursuit: Can we find a way to live together?

An eye-opening, page-turning investigation, Home, Land, Security speaks to the rise of division and radicalization in all forms, both at home and abroad. In this richly reported and deeply human account, Carla Power offers new ways to overcome the rising tides o f extremism, one human at a time.

Rezension:

Why do people become radicalized, and can militant radicals be rehabilitated? In this provocative and deeply reported look into the emerging field of deradicalization, Power investigates these questions, providing a compassionate look at the myriad forces driving young people into the arms of radical belief systems. . . . In these riveting, character-driven pages, Power encourages us to resist moral binaries of good and evil as we work toward countering terrorist groups and the loved ones held in their sway. Esquire (Best Books of Fall 2021)

Deeply reported and ultimately optimistic . . . astounding . . . Power humanizes militant jihadists and offers insights into the forces that push people toward extremism. . . . Interweaving intimate character profiles and in-depth research, this is a nuanced look at a critical yet overlooked front in the fight against extremism. Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Power s exceptionally wide-ranging research persuaded her tha t Americans need to stop thinking about former militants in absolutist terms like good and evil and to take a more nuanced approach to fostering their deradicalization and preventing the backsliding that may occur during long imprisonments. . . . This book is full of valuable insights into violent extremism . . . A provocative exploration of the appeal of terrorist groups and how to counter it effectively. Kirkus Reviews