No Peace Without Punishment? Reintegrating Islamic State "Collaborators" in Iraq.

This article examines how variations in the severity and type of punishment influence public opinion toward the reintegration of former nonviolent collaborators with the Islamic State (IS) in post-conflict Iraq. Using a survey experiment conducted with 1,458 Sunni Arab residents of Mosul, the study finds that long prison sentences (fifteen years) do not increase willingness to accept former collaborators back into communities, whereas noncarceral punishments such as six months of community service have a small but statistically significant positive effect on reintegration attitudes. Additionally, endorsements by tribal or religious leaders and completion of rehabilitation programs can persuade about 15% of initially opposed respondents to support reintegration. The findings highlight the potential effectiveness of restorative, community-based justice mechanisms over prolonged incarceration for achieving rehabilitation and social reintegration in post-conflict settings.