Ending Terrorism in Italy analyses
processes of disengagement from terrorism, as well as
the connected issues of reconciliation, truth and
justice. It examines in a critical and original way how
terrorism came to an end in Italy (Part I), and the
legacy it has left behind (Part II). The book
interrogates a wide array of published memoirs and a
considerable number of new face-to-face interviews with
both former terrorists and first and second generation
victims In the last two decades, and especially in
recent years, former extreme-right terrorists in Italy
have started to talk about their past involvement in
terrorist violence, including, for the first time, acts
of violence which have for decades been considered
taboo, that is to say, bomb attacks against innocent
civilians. These narratives add to the perspectives
offered by members of left-wing terrorist groups, such
as the Red Brigades and Prima Linea.
Surprisingly, these narratives have not been
systematically examined, yet they form a unique and
extremely rich source of first-hand testimony, providing
invaluable insights into processes of youth
radicalization and de-radicalization, the social
re-integration of ex-terrorists, as well as personal and
collective healing. Even less attention has been
paid to the victims’ narratives or stories. Indeed, the
views and activities of the victims and their
associations have been seriously neglected in the
scholarly literature on terrorism, not just in Italy,
but elsewhere in Europe. The book therefore examines the
perspectives of the victims and relatives of victims of
terrorism, who over the years have formed dedicated
associations and campaigned relentlessly to obtain
justice through the courts, with little or no support
from the state and, especially in the case of the
bombing massacres, with increasing awareness that the
state played a role in thwarting the course of
justice.
Ending Terrorism in Italy will be
of interest to historians, social scientists and policy
makers as well as students of political violence and
post-conflict resolution. .
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