Small Wars Journal

violent extremism

A Sustainable Approach for Disengaging Violent Extremists

Tue, 02/25/2020 - 1:05am
Governments and communities worldwide are facing the increasingly daunting challenge of what to do when citizens who participated in violent extremist conflicts return home. With ISIS’s territorial caliphate extinguished, more than 100 countries could face the task of not only having to reintegrate their citizens, but also preparing their communities for a future with them living next door. This is a society-wide challenge that will engage a cross-cutting spectrum of stakeholders deploying a range of peacebuilding and other tools to build communities and individuals who are more resilient to violent extremism.

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Displacement and the Vulnerability to Mobilize for Violence: Evidence from Afghanistan

Fri, 01/24/2020 - 8:20am
Forced displacement affects over 70 million people worldwide and is among the most pressing humanitarian and development challenges today. This report attempts to ascertain whether a relationship exists between displacement in Afghanistan and vulnerability to recruitment to violence by militant organizations.

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USC 2019 Homegrown Violent Extremism Digital Summit Report

Fri, 12/06/2019 - 10:14pm
On 8 November 2019, a USC Homegrown Violent Extremism (HVE) Digital Summit was coordinated by the USC Price Safe Communities Institute (SCI). It was held in Los Angeles, California at the main university campus and streamed live to a national and international audience consisting of policymakers, first responders, academics, community organizers and advocates, and other stakeholders within the broader community of interest.

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A Man, A Plan, So What? The Influence of Abu Mus’ab al-Suri, Reconsidered SWJED Tue, 07/09/2019 - 1:36am
Despite al-Suri’s reputation, however, questions exist about the relevance of his work, and jihadi strategic thought as a whole. Broadly, the relevance of jihadi strategic thought is unclear. Some note its potential to enable clearer understandings of jihadi behaviour.

Getting off: The Implications of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues Among Former ISIS Fighters for Counterterrorism and Deradicalization

Tue, 06/25/2019 - 11:33am
One essential aspect affecting individual risk is mental health, such as for example the role of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, that has been found to significantly increase the threat posed by returning foreign fighters. Furthermore, as it happened throughout history when fighting forces were facing superior opponents and ultimate defeat on the battlefield during “final stands”, the use of drugs to enhance fanaticism, physical strength and to prevent fatigue, hunger, thirst and exhaustion was also reportedly present among IS’s fighters. The substance of choice for IS, Captagon or fenethylline, was so famous among the group’s fighters, that it was used even during terror attacks, for example in the November 2015 Paris attacks.

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Morocco’s Unique Approach to Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism SWJED Fri, 12/21/2018 - 8:40am
This paper explores the two aspects that makes Morocco’s CT/CVE strategy unique: 1) the promotion of moderate Maliki Islam, and 2) fighting poverty and investment in the public of the country. While other countries may have taken a similar approach, most have not done so on the scale in which Morocco has.
Strange Bedfellows: Countering Violent Extremism Key to Development and Security SWJED Tue, 10/17/2017 - 12:15am

Opportunity might reside in the administration’s focus on security, where non-traditional strategy could still address foreign extremism.