Introduction

Research shows that repression can lead to both radicalization and deradicalization. When does it drive groups to pick up arms, and under what conditions does it foster disengagement from violence? To answer these questions, it is important to trace tactical changes over time, and to parse the factors that push groups toward or away from violence. The introduction outlines some conventional explanations for understanding tactical choices and shows that recent developments in terrorism studies and in the research on nonviolent resistance leave several puzzles unanswered. It introduces a theoretical framework through which we can understand both escalation and de-escalation, and provides a typology of engagement with violence that can guide the investigation of tactical change. After considering whether Islamist groups are distinctive, the chapter outlines the case-selection strategy and the methodology employed in the book, and then concludes with an outline of the remaining chapters.