Leaving the PKK: Toward a process-oriented model of disengagement

While the involvement in terrorist organizations and social movements has generated a plethora of literature, little work exists on exit from these two types collectives. In order to grasp plurality factors involved processes, we based ourselves an empirical sociological survey 64 activists Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan (PKK). This party experienced major wave departures guerrilla movement early 2000s. The micro-sociological study desistance trajectories make it possible develop relevant explanatory model disengagement combining attention diachronicity, identification micro-level turning points meso-level windows opportunity. After recalling conditions under which was carried out, will show how brings into play certain relationship time, key moments which, case PKK, concern not so much state repression as internal dysfunctions party, well “possibilities” that open up for actors, either during restructuraction or civilian life.