Brzuszkiewicz focuses on defining nationalist jihad—which might be termed local or country-based jihad—as opposed to global jihad. She argues that deradicalization of this nationalist jihad was possible at an organizational level in Egypt and Libya. The book presents very useful case studies of the Takfir wal-Hijrah, the Gihad Islami, and Gama’at al-Islamiyya and a briefer description of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. Brzuszkiewicz admits that lone wolves and—one could add—non-jihadist terrorists complicate the analysis. Since nationalist jihadists like Hamas have just shocked the near and far enemies with continuing resistance (and not deradicalization), it appears that other factors, like local governments’ repression, continue to fuel jihad. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

Choice Reviews

“Sara Brzuszkiewicz painstakingly reconstructed a key episode in the early history of jihadism: how and why Egypt’s two main terrorist groups laid down arms. She draws key lessons that, decades later, are still applicable to all terrorist groups, making this a much-needed addition to the field.”

Lorenzo Vidino, Director, Program on Extremism, George Washington University

“Is the path toward violence and radicalization a ‘one way only’, or can jihadist movements disengage and de-radicalize, giving up violence? And how can those processes of de-radicalization be implemented? This much-needed book provides a convincing, though pessimistic, answer, focusing on the differences between ‘ideological shift’ and ‘behavioral shift’, as well as between ‘global’ and ‘national’ jihad. Sara Brzuszkiewicz’s scholarly yet accessible analysis of specific case studies in the Egypt of the 20th century offers clear arguments in order to understand why collective disengagement and de-radicalization of jihadi movements are effective only for ‘national’ jihadism, and why this approach cannot work for ‘global jihad’ groups.”

Riccardo Redaelli, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

“This book presents an in-depth analysis of the disengagement and de-radicalization process of violent extremist groups. Innovatively focusing on collective actors rather than individuals, this book offers new perspectives on the political and socio-economic factors as well as on group-internal dynamics that led to a progressive de-legitimization of violence as a viable means to achieve political goals.

Taking al-Gama'a al-Islamiya and al-Gihad al-Islamy in Egypt as case-studies, this monograph sheds light on the steps undertaken by these groups collectively as well as the incentives towards their rejection of violence over the decades. This contribution portrays an interesting historical trajectory towards collective de-radicalisation mechanisms that can be meaningful not just for Egypt and its national context but to the wider MENA region.”

Dr. Elisa Orofino, Senior Research Fellow and Academic Lead for Extremism and Counter-Terrorism at PIER, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)