Would the Islamic State ever renounce violence? In the current political climate, the question seems preposterous. Yet, at the height of a terrorist campaign against tourists in Egypt during the 1990s, nobody expected that the group behind the attacks would issue and adhere to a nonviolence initiative. What drives groups to shift between nonviolence and violence? When do opposition groups move away from armed action, and why do some organizations renounce violence permanently, whereas others refrain temporarily? In The Violence Pendulum, Ioana Emy Matesan offers a theory of tactical change that explains both escalation and de-escalation in order to answer these questions. Matesan's analysis traces the historical evolution of four Islamist groups: the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya in Egypt, and Darul Islam and Jemaah Islamiyah in Indonesia. Drawing from archival materials, interviews, and reports, she focuses on turning points in each organization. Ultimately, she finds that Islamist groups alter their tactics in response to the perceived need for activism, shifts in the cost of violent versus nonviolent resistance, and internal or external pressures on the organization. Groups turn to violence when grievances escalate, violent resistance is feasible and publicly tolerated, and there are internal or external pressures to act. In turn, groups renounce armed action when violence costs them too much, disillusionment eclipses the perceived need for continued activism, and leaders are willing to rethink the tactics and strategies of the group. By uncovering the reasons for escalation and de-escalation across a range of political environments, The Violence Pendulum reshapes our understanding of how decisions are made--and how nonviolence can be achieved--in armed groups.

About the Author
Ioana Emy Matesan is Assistant Professor of Government and Tutor in the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University. Her research focuses on contentious politics and Islamist movements, with a particular interest in Middle East politics, political violence, and democratization. Her articles have appeared in numerous journals, including International Negotiation, Journal of Global Security Studies, Nations and Nationalism, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, and Terrorism and Political Violence.

Reviews
Emy Matesan'sanalysis of repression in Egypt and Indonesia could not be more timely given the increasing use of violence against civilians around the world by authoritarian governments. Explaining the connection between government repression limiting options for nonviolent tactics, she shows how they reinforce mistrust in the government and foster a desire for revenge. This groundbreaking study shows how groups move along the spectrum from radicalization and engaging in violence to disengagement and non-violent forms of resistance. Assessing the efficacy of these various tactics and highlighting the inherent pragmatism of even the most ideological leaders, Matesan's work is destined to be a classic in the study of violence and peaceful resistance. * Mia Bloom, Professor of Communication and Middle East Studies, Georgia State University, and author of Small Arms: Children and Terrorism *
A much-needed comparative analysis of how and why Islamist opposition groups shift between escalation and de-escalation, as their tactics evolve over time.The explanation expertly weaves together different causal threads to stress the importance of timing, the multiple pathways to violence and non-violence, and the relationship between principles and pragmatism in guiding the behavior of extremist groups. The book also serves as an important caution against reliance on repression to combat terrorism. * Martha Crenshaw, Senior Fellow Emerita, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University and Professor Emerita of Government, Wesleyan University *
This carefully researched and richly detailed study explores the answers to one of the most vexing questions about extremist movements - why do they choose violence, and why do they abandon it? Taking the internal perspective of movements in Egypt and Indonesia, this book shows that these are strategic choices influenced by perceptions of opportunity and potential support. Its thoughtful insights into the pendulum of violence and nonviolence have global implications for understanding the dynamics of extremist movements around the world. * Mark Juergensmeyer, Professor of Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence *



Book Information
ISBN 9780197510087
Author Ioana Emy Matesan
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 567g
Dimensions(mm) 150mm * 236mm * 23mm