When Being Bad is Good? Bringing Neutralization Theory to Subcultural Narratives of Right-Wing Violence
Accepted version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Change log
Authors
Colvin, Sarah https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2776-3185
Pisoiu, Daniela
Abstract
Bringing together terrorism studies, subcultural theory, and narrative criminology, we here test the thesis that neutralization theory might be (further) developed to provide a framework for understanding stories of ideologically informed subcultural violence. Beginning with Gresham Sykes’ and David Matza’s original five neutralizations, we illustrate how actors engage them in three modes: the encultured, the subcultural, and (tentatively) the postnarrative mode. We test the first two modes in particular against narratives and narrative fragments from interviews with men convicted of right-wing violence in Germany. Our findings provide a preliminary illustration of what neutralization theory might bring to research into political violence.
Description
Keywords
4402 Criminology, 44 Human Society, 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Journal Title
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1057-610X
1521-0731
1521-0731
Volume Title
43
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) (unknown)