In the Name of Ideology : Assessing the role of Ideology in Salafi Jihadist groups readiness to negotiate

Abstract: This study aims to contribute to the scholarly literature on terrorism and negotiations by contributing to the debate on the relationship between ideology and organizational factors in explaining armed groups behavior. It is argued organizational factors influence the lethality of terrorist groups, more than ideology does. This study extends this debate to the realm of negotiations and the specific Salafi-Jihadism ideology. Over the past 20 years, a handful of Salafi-Jihadist groups have expressed readiness to negotiate. Yet, this puzzling outcome has been under investigated so far. However, the role of ideology has been appointed as influencing groups behavior in general, as well as organizational factors. This argument is tested in a structured focused comparison of four Salafi-Jihadist groups, with two positive cases. The analysis shows evidence for the influence of ideology and its implementation, between less radical and more radical groups, on the expression of readiness to negotiate across Salafi-Jihadist groups. It also highlights the need to consider ideology and organizational factors together.