When Foreign Fighters Come Home: The Story of Six Danish Returnees

This article explores the question of how six Danish former foreign fighters experienced their return to Denmark after having fought with jihadist militias in the Middle East. Based on an investigation of their struggle to overcome the rejection with which they were met in almost every corner of their social world, the author argues that returning home presented them with an existential crisis. During the crisis of returning, participants actively re-interpret and create meaning not only around their journeys, but also with regard to their standing with their closer and broader relations. In other words, they have to rediscover and redefine their place in the world. The article concludes with some recommendations for rehabilitation efforts.