Christer Mattsson

Thomas Johansson

This book offers an in-depth study of personal accounts of men and women who have at one time entered, participated in and ultimately exited the neo-Nazi movement, with a focus on advanced Western states. Through detailed stories of the movement’s violence, hatred, and ideology, coupled with narratives of the individuals’ life plans and dreams when entering the movement and reintegrating into society, the work provides knowledge, hope and new directions for readers to better understand and react to a reinvigorated extreme right across Western nations. The book provides innovative research on the relationship between the life trajectories of neo-Nazis and their significant others, enabling better and more evidence-based strategies for preventing radicalization and promoting deradicalization. The extensive case studies include the voices of those who returned to the movement, or never left at all, providing a rare opportunity to compare active, former and returned right-wing extremists. The main contribution of the book is to provide an innovative approach to the oral history of young men and women who have participated in different national and local neo-Nazi movements in Western countries, namely Sweden and the United States. In order to understand the current trends within the movement and their relationship to the surrounding society, this shift calls for in-depth analyses based on social-psychological and sociological perspectives. Stressing the importance of having a gender theory, socio-cultural, historical, and both a national and contextual perspective on the neo-Nazi movement, this book contributes new knowledge to this field of research. This book will be of much interest to students of political extremism, radicalisation, terrorism studies and social psychology.

Social Psychology Perspective

Radicalization and Disengagement in Neo-Nazi Movements

This book provides the first comprehensive sociological study of the contemporary National Socialist movement in Sweden, including how it has developed since the 1990s until the present. It covers the ideas and political aspects of the movement, as well as the subjective and very personal stories told by young men and women who in some cases have left the movement and in others remained. Through a large number of detailed stories of the movement’s violence, hatred, and ideology, as well as stories of the life plans and dreams involved in re-entering society, the study on which the book is based provides knowledge, hope and new directions for studies on the National Socialist movement. Additionally, the book provides innovative research on the relation between the life trajectories of National Socialists and their significant others, allowing us to establish better and more scientific strategies for preventing radicalization and promoting de-radicalization. The book is aimed at students of sociology, social science and researchers studying hate movements and violent extremism. It is also meant for professionals such as teachers, social workers and youth workers who may encounter radicalization in their work as well as being a vital contribution for policymakers within the field.

Christer Mattsson

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