“Negotiating with terrorists is not for the faint-hearted. States face political and practical risks in engaging with extremists whose aims may be quite incompatible with the interests of the larger society and its government. The “bad guys” also risk delegitimizing their cause. Even the mediators face dangers in facilitating negotiations.  But many intractable conflicts have ended only when parties overcame their mistrust (if not disgust). I. William Zartman and Guy Olivier Faure have assembled a fine group of scholars to parse the when, how, and why of engaging with terrorists. They deepen our understanding of what conditions need to be present for such a process to be productive—such as when the “absoluteness” of the terrorists’ position begins to give way to a more moderate approach, when states are willing to acknowledge underlying causes of the grievance or prepare to offer something in return for such moderation. This is a serious and useful collection of great value to diplomats and scholars and another important contribution to the study of peace by USIP.”
—Ellen Laipson, The Henry L. Stimson Center


“Bill Zartman and Guy Faure have done a great service by producing this long-needed study. Whether one agrees with the analysis or not, the authors raise issues which policymakers ought to consider if we are to succeed in combating terrorism.”  
—Andrew S. Natsios, Georgetown University

“Engaging Extremists is an excellent application of theory and historical experience to a topic that has received insufficient attention. Dealing with extremist groups is too often oversimplified as a task of stamping out incorrigibles. This volume explores the actual complexity of the subject with clarity and empirical richness. It is an outstanding guide for policymakers in deciding when and how to use engagement effectively while avoiding the pitfalls.”
—Paul R. Pillar, Georgetown University

“This is a fine scholarly study on an important issue of our time. This well-written volume examines negotiation and engagement between states and terrorist organizations, and underscores well the difficulties of mediation in cases of insurgency.”
—Bruce Riedel, senior fellow in the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution