| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Cochrane, Feargal, et al.
(författare)
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Home Thoughts from Abroad : Diasporas and Peace-Building in Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka
- 2009
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 32:8, s. 681-704
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article looks at the dynamics of Diaspora groups as a possible catalyst for peace-building within violent segmented societies. With the help of two case studies, Irish-America's role in Northern Ireland and Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora's role in Sri Lanka, it locates the variable impacts of Diaspora involvement in violent conflicts within their homelands. Despite their unique histories and individual complexity, both of these cases illustrate that Diasporas have a significant role to play in peace-building, are diverse rather than homogenous communities, and that they represent an important and often underutilized resource to bring negotiated settlement to violent conflicts.
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| 3. |
- Cornell, Svante E.
(författare)
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Narcotics and armed conflict : Interaction and implications
- 2007
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 30:3, s. 207-227
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The link between armed conflict and the production and trafficking of illicit drugs has been much noted in the popular literature, and recent research tentatively indicates a link between lootable resources, including narcotics, and conflict duration. Yet the specific dynamics of the linkage between narcotics and conflict remain poorly understood. Evolving theory on the link between organized crime and terrorism enhances and supplements the debate on economic incentives in civil war, proposing mechanisms whereby insurgent groups interact with narcotics production-a crime-rebellion nexus. Studies of nine major narcotics-producing areas indicates strong support for this nexus. Rather than generating or being generated by drug cultivation, armed conflict qualitatively and quantitatively transforms existing drug cultivation. Importantly, armed conflict is itself deeply affected by the narcotics industry, which tends to strengthen the capacity of insurgent movements while weakening that of the state. A momentous aspect of the crime-rebellion nexus is the effect that the drug industry tends to have on the motivational structures of insurgent groups: criminal involvement in some instances creates an economic function of war and vested interests in the continuation of armed conflict. This has substantial implications for strategies to resolve armed conflict involving the production and trafficking of illicit drugs.
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| 4. |
- Eklund Wimelius, Malin, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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What is local resilience against radicalization and how can it be promoted? : a multidisciplinary literature review
- 2023
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Routledge. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 46:7, s. 1108-1125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this research note, we present results from a review of research on local resilience in relation to radicalization in public health, social work, crisis management, and community policing using terrorism studies as a point of departure. In order to identify agreements between literatures, we focus on how local resilience is understood, how it is said to be promoted, and how this knowledge could be synthesized. We show that resilience by and large is understood as both a process and a capacity underpinned by cooperation, social networks, and community resources and that an initial mapping of existing strengths and resources is pivotal for local resilience-building.
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| 5. |
- Esholdt, Henriette Frees, et al.
(författare)
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Moral Policing of Gender Norms: Honor-Based Violence as a Mobilizing Factor Towards Militant Islamism
- 2024
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Honor culture, in which the virtue of the family—if not community—depends on the “purity” of its female members, enforced through “moral policing” of gender norms to collectively control women’s sexuality and uphold a patriarchal gender order, is a central aspect of both honor-based violence and the Salafi-jihadist culture in militant Islamist milieus. Drawing on interviews with 1) an imprisoned Danish woman convicted of ISIS-related terrorism, 2) a mother of a deceased Swedish ISIS foreign fighter, who herself was previously part of the Salafi-jihadist milieu, and 3) “professionals” (e.g. police officers, social workers and municipal employees) conducted during ethnographic fieldwork in Sweden and prison ethnography in Denmark, this article explores how honor-based violence can constitute a mobilizing factor for Western Muslims towards militant Islamism in three distinct ways. First, isolation of Muslim women and children through gender segregation and restrictions on accessing public space to “moral police” gender norms enables the Salafi-jihadist milieu to cement and extend its ideological, religious, and physical control. Second, in an honor culture with intense pressure on men to defend and restore family honor whenever it is challenged, joining ISIS can be perceived as a means to fulfill this obligation, thereby affirming “real” Muslim masculinity and upholding a patriarchal gender order. The deeply ingrained cultural expectations to defend honor can even be exploited by militant Islamist milieus in their recruitment efforts. Third, besides providing a “safe space” where one cannot be persecuted and punished for dishonoring one’s family by leaving it as an unmarried woman, ISIS’s multiethnic diversity and embrace of interethnic marriage can be appealing for someone who wants to escape forced endogamous marriage. Given that honor-based violence strikes at the individual freedoms and rights, thereby undermining liberal democratic values and the rule of law, our article contributes knowledge on the broader threat to democracy from anti-democratic forces in the context of militant Islamism.
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| 6. |
- Jonsson, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Financing War or Facilitating Peace? : The Impact of Rebel Drug Trafficking on Peace Negotiations in Colombia and Myanmar
- 2016
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 39:6, s. 542-559
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rebel involvement in drug trafficking is broadly found to prolong and intensify civil wars. Being an illicit good with strong demand, high profit margins, limited barriers to entry, and few interdiction opportunities, narcotic drugs disproportionately benefit rebel groups as a source of funding in civil wars. Furthermore, drug trafficking is believed to prolong civil wars by creating war economies that benefit rebel groups, making them reluctant to engage in peace negotiations. However, recent peace agreements suggest that drug trafficking can in some cases be used to "buy off" rebel leaders, whereas other insurgents willingly relinquish this source of funding. This article compares attempts at conflict resolution in Colombia and Myanmar, focusing on the impact drug trafficking by Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and United Wa State Army has on contemporary peace negotiations.
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| 7. |
- Karlborg, Lisa, 1984-
(författare)
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The Ambiguous Host-Citizen Contract : An Evolving Notion of Duty in the U.S. Military Quest for Local Legitimacy
- 2015
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - New York : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 38:10, s. 864-884
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The article explores how the recent quest for local legitimacy in Iraq and Afghanistan has shaped the U.S. military notion of duty toward host citizens. It argues that military duty is conceptualized as a “host-citizen contract.” Based on a qualitative comparison of the 2006 and 2014 versions of FM3-24, the U.S. counterinsurgency field manual, it finds that U.S. forces are obligated to suppress insurgents, build host-nation agency, and protect the host population in exchange for legitimacy. The article's main finding is that the notion of legitimacy has changed in ways that fundamentally limit the scope of duty and justify a breach of contract should the host nation fail to comply.
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| 8. |
- Karlén, Niklas
(författare)
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Escalate to De-Escalate? External State Support and Governments’ Willingness to Negotiate
- 2023
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 46:8, s. 1323-1344
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Policymakers sometimes argue that material assistance to rebels involved in a civil war can create a ‘ripe moment’ that is favorable for negotiations. Ripeness theory provides support for this idea. However, this notion has never been systematically assessed. This article evaluates this claim by using global data on negotiations in all intrastate armed conflicts from 1975 to 2009. Contrary to popular belief, the article demonstrates that external state support to rebel groups does not increase the prospect of negotiations. Instead, the results suggest that external support is likely to reduce the likelihood of negotiations between the warring parties, especially if the state sponsor is a great power. The study contributes to our understanding of civil war processes by demonstrating that military assistance hinders rather than promotes the onset of negotiations and by questioning the utility of ripeness theory as the most suitable framework for understanding this phenomenon.
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| 9. |
- Käihkö, Ilmari
(författare)
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Operation Jungle Fire : The Consolidation of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy
- 2021
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Drawing on 15 months of ethnographic fieldwork, this article investigates the cooperative consolidation of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), a rebel movement that in 1999-2003 sought to rid Liberia of President Charles Taylor. The LURD faced many obstacles to consolidation, including a history of ethnic fragmentation and infighting, leadership conflicts, lack of territory inside Liberia, and a paucity of resources. Yet, despite these hurdles, the LURD succeeded in forging a coalition that lasted just long enough to oust Taylor. It did this by adopting three maxims that emphasized institutional learning, interethnic power sharing, and Guinean sponsorship.
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| 10. |
- Larsdotter, Kersti, 1974-
(författare)
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Fighting Transnational Insurgents : the South African Defence Force in Namibia, 1966-1989
- 2014
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 37:12, s. 1024-1038
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transnational insurgents are a common feature of contemporary wars, but research on how to address this problem is still scarce. This article examines the South African Defence Force's (SADF) counterinsurgency against Namibian transnational insurgents. It concludes that the South African forces focused a large amount of their efforts outside the borders of Namibia. Highly coercive operations in Angola and Zambia created the space for hearts and minds activities in Namibia, as well as forcing neighboring states to end their support for the insurgents. Although the war in Namibia is somewhat different from contemporary wars, SADF's cross-border strategy gives us some important insights into the regional dynamics of civil wars.
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| 11. |
- Larsson, Oscar, Assistant professor, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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The European Union as a Maritime Security Provider – The Naval Diplomacy Perspective
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this article is to assess how the European Union advances its role as a global security actor and how it deploys the military forces provided by the member states. Tracing the current debate of the identity and means of the European Union, we analyze the two maritime operations, EU NAVFOR Somalia (Operation Atalanta) and EUNAVFOR MED (Operation Sophia) from a naval diplomacy perspective. Naval diplomacy acknowledge a more versatile role for naval forces, not just military advancement and force projection. For this purpose, we need to go beyond mission descriptions and operational mandates in order to analyze and assess the two operations from within, relying on internal reports and interviews with senior officers who have participated in the operations. Results show that naval forces seeks cooperation with International organizations, NGOs, and third countries in order to facilitate security and good order of the global common of international water. Still, complex security problems are not resolved in this manner and EU maritime operations are highly political, thus facing an uncertain future as a tool of CSDP.
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| 12. |
- Lott, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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The Ambivalent Effect of Autocratization on Domestic Terrorism
- 2023
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Ingår i: STUDIES IN CONFLICT & TERRORISM. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study asks if a decline of democratic regime attributes affects the volume of domestic terrorism. We argue that different forms of autocratization may stimulate or suppress terrorist activities. Democratic backsliding may dampen domestic terrorism, while autocratic consolidation may make autocracies more vulnerable to terrorism. This study empirically tests these assumptions on time-series cross-sectional data on domestic terrorism in 182 countries between 1970 and 2020 with a difference-in-differences design. We find that democratic backsliding reduces the amount of terrorism in the short to medium term. Autocratic consolidation increases the number of terrorist attacks in the short to medium term.
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| 13. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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After the Caliphate: Changing Mobilization in the Swedish Salafi-Jihadist Environment following the Fall of ISIS
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1521-0731 .- 1057-610X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- After the fall of the Islamic State’s self-declared Caliphate in Syria and Iraq, understanding how the Salafi-jihadist environments in the West mobilize in new ways has become urgent. This study is based on unique hard-to-reach data from qualitative interviews with returned Swedish ISIS fighters, previous members of the Swedish Salafi-jihadist environment, friends and acquaintances of persons engaged in the Swedish Salafi-jihadist environment, and a former Swedish jihadist recruiter. It explores post-Caliphate mobilization in terms of recruiting new members, keeping old members, and sustaining support from other radicals who are not active members of the Salafi-jihadist environment. Five distinct themes emerged from the interviews that reflect changing “push” and “pull” factors, which in different ways make mobilization in the post-Caliphate period challenging: competition from criminal gangs, increasing fuzziness of the environment, limited ability of external events to mobilize both new and old members, variation in the ease of leaving the Salafi-jihadist environment, and lack of new heroic mobilization narratives. The study concludes that, despite continuing problems in so-called radicalization hubs in Sweden, IS and other jihadist groups now have difficulty mobilizing both old and new members. In particular, changes in pull factors suggest that the current mobilization dynamics point to an environment that is facing challenges.
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| 14. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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“Aren’t You Tired of Talking?” – Priming Men and Women into Violence through Gateway Organizations
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Social movement approaches have explored how protest movements transition into terrorist organizations. However, there has been little academic work examining potential causal mechanisms that drive the movement of individuals from nonviolent organizations to violent ones. This study uses priming theory to explain how nonviolent organizations can function as inadvertent gateways that facilitate the movement of individuals into violent organizations. Rather than elaborating on social contacts between nonviolent and violent organizations, priming shifts the analytical focus to socialization processes inside gateway organizations and how they can be exploited by violent organizations through framing. The study also analyzes priming in gateway organizations as a gendered process. Although the examples provided are drawn from the Islamist context, the priming process applies to all religious, far-left, far-right, and nationalist/separatist groups.
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| 15. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Foreign Fighters and the Radicalization of Local Jihad: Interview Evidence from Swedish Jihadists
- 2015
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 38:5, s. 343-358
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Modern jihadism has experienced two distinct crises. The present study analyzes recent developments in jihadism, which can be seen in connection with efforts to solve the latest recruitment crisis of global jihad, and is based on comparative interviews with eight Swedish jihadists defined as foreign fighters. The study identifies three new trends evident in the interviews comparing jihadists active in Syria with those who fought in Afghanistan and Bosnia: socialization to global jihad, normalization of jihad, and an increasing use of the doctrine of takfir (i.e., ex-communication). This can be described as indicating the radicalization of local jihad, as the territorially based jihad, championed by Abdullah Azzam, and the global jihad of Osama bin Laden meet in the territorial realities of Syria and Iraq.
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| 16. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Interviewing Jihadists : On the Importance of Drinking Tea and Other Methodological Considerations
- 2018
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 41:6, s. 419-432
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The field of terrorism research has arguably long been characterized by a separation of the scholars from their subject of inquiry. Interviews can be used to bridge this chasm, but making contact with potential interviewees, conducting interviews, and analyzing the data pose unique challenges when conducting research into jihadists, especially active ones. This article focuses on the author's experience of interviewing both former and active jihadi foreign fighters. It is specifically intended to contribute to a better methodological understanding of conducting first-hand empirical research into jihadi foreign fighters and builds on field work conducted in Sweden, Iraq, and Lebanon.
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| 17. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Jihad after the Fall of IS : Reframing the Apocalyptic Narrative
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; , s. 1-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study analyzes the use of apocalyptic frames by jihadist groups and how they have been developing after the fall of IS. It contextualizes these developments in the history of Muslim apocalyptic though and literature. After describing the apocalyptic narrative in the hadith literature and in the Quran, as well as the differences between classical and modern apocalyptic literature, the study analyzes differences in how jihadist groups have used apocalyptic framing of their fight. Finally, using interview data, the study analyzes how the Salafi-jihadist environment in Sweden has started to reframe the apocalyptic narrative after the military defeat of IS.
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| 18. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Jihad and heroic hypermasculinity : Recruitment strategies, battlefield experiences, and returning home
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a gap in knowledge when it comes to jihadism and how it is associated with notions of masculinity. Especially empirical studies on masculinity that are based on interviews with active or former jihadists are lacking. This study seeks to analyze the role that notions of masculinity have played in different phases of jihadiship among Swedish jihadist foreign fighters, from recruitment to traveling to the conflict zone, and then eventually returning to Sweden. With a focus on heroic jihadist hypermasculinity, which is a form of hegemonic masculinity that exaggerates male stereotypical behavior such as violence and aggression, the study identifies five themes: Recruitment strategies and masculinity; from masculine failure to protecting sisters in faith; jihad and street culture; the warrior ideal; jihad, patriarchy, and brotherhood; and returning home and preventing re-emasculation. The empirical material is based on interviews with six Swedish jihadists and a former jihadist recruiter.
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| 19. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Jihadiship : From radical behavior to radical beliefs
- 2021
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 44:3, s. 181-197
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Jihadism is a complex social phenomenon that changes people, but not always uniformly. This article argues that cognitive and behavioral radicalization can be seen as a discursive journey or jihadiship involving (e)merging ideas, problems, and solutions that change with encounters with new circumstances—both material and immaterial. The differences observed between various generations of jihadists are one manifestation of this complexity. Especially in a jihadi group, the processes of radicalization are bound to continue and take new forms, compared with those experienced in the West. Another example of the complexity of jihadiship is that not only can radical ideas lead to radical behavior, but also radical behavior can increasingly give rise to radical ideas in jihadi groups.
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| 20. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Mental strategies for fighting the IS : A field study of the Peshmerga soldiers in Northern Iraq
- 2016
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 39:11, s. 1007-1018
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study analyzes the war against the Islamic State (IS), specifically on the front in northern Iraq, and the mental strategies that the Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers use to maintain their combat motivation. For this field study, dozens of soldiers of various ranks were interviewed and observed on three fronts outside of Mosul, Erbil, and Kirkuk in February 2014. While some mental strategies are nearly universal, others depend on the characteristics of the fighting force and the threat that they face. The article identifies five distinct mental strategies for dealing with the stress of fighting the IS: simultaneous dehumanization and humanization of the enemy, seeing a larger cause, use of humor, religious identity, and martyrdom. The findings suggest that factors beyond primary group cohesion, on which much previous research has focused, can play an important role in increasing soldiers’ fighting power.
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| 21. |
- Nilsson, Marco, 1971-
(författare)
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Motivations for Jihad and Cognitive Dissonance : A Qualitative Analysis of Former Swedish Jihadists
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 45:1, s. 92-110
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study is based on interviews with three former Swedish jihadists, and it uses cognitive dissonance theory to analyze how their motivations for jihad changed—from the early stages of radicalization to fighting as part of a jihadist group and finally leaving jihad. It argues that cognitive dissonance is a causal mechanism, alternative to empathy and collective relative deprivation, that can explain how individuals with collective identities can be motivated to opt for jihad. For none of the interviewees did fundamentalist Islam provide a gateway into jihadism, nor did they seem to use Islam as a mere justification for violent behavior. Cognitive dissonance can also shed light on how motivations change and why some jihadists have not been susceptible to further radicalization by accepting even more radical ideas.
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| 22. |
- Nussio, Enzo, et al.
(författare)
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Anti-Social Capital in Former Members of Non-State Armed Groups : A Case Study of Colombia
- 2014
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 37:12, s. 999-1023
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Illegal organizations, like mafia syndicates, gangs, and insurgencies, are often highly cohesive and hostile toward the outside world. Such groups cultivate a particular form of anti-social capital, which relies on ingroup bonding and limits outgroup bridging for the purpose of commissioning illicit acts. We argue that experiences within the group leave members with varying intensities of anti-social capital, and that higher intensities lead to significantly weaker relationships with political institutions and civil society, even many years after they exit the group. We test this theory using survey data from 1,485 former members of insurgent and paramilitary groups in Colombia, along with insights from 68 qualitative interviews. We find strong evidence that anti-social capital has individually varying and sticky effects on former members. These effects are pervasive and intense, and exhibit surprising and counterintuitive properties: former members of pro-state militia with higher levels of anti-social capital are systematically less likely to trust political institutions, while members of peasant-based insurgent groups with high levels of anti-social capital are less likely to participate in their communities.
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| 23. |
- Ranstorp, Magnus, 1965-
(författare)
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Interpreting the broader context and meaning of Bin‐Laden's Fatwa
- 1998
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 21:4, s. 321-330
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article analyzes the “inner logic” of the fatwa issued by Usamah Bin‐Laden and a coalition of four other Islamic movements on 22 February 1998. Having first discussed the significance of the “Bin‐Laden phenomenon “ on terrorism in general, an analysis is made of the underlying reasons and broader context of Bin‐Laden's worldview and the fatwa’s appeal to his followers for violent action. It is argued that thisfatwa, when combined with the content of Bin‐Laden's “Declaration of War” in 1996, is neither revolutionary nor unique to broader Muslim concerns but rather is part and parcel of a broader contest over sacred authority in Saudi Arabia and over continued U.S. military presence on the Arabian peninsula. These issues are explored, coupled with the way in which the fatwa illuminates crucial factors behind the behavior of Bin‐Laden and other Islamic revolutionaries.
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| 24. |
- Rodermond, Elanie, et al.
(författare)
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Strengths and Weaknesses of Using Register Data to Study Extremism and Terrorism
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent years, the study of terrorism and violent extremism has increasingly benefited from the use of register data such as population data and judicial data. The use of this type of data brings with it many advantages, such as the ability to study complete populations, to combine different sources of data, and, often, it enables researchers to take on a longitudinal and comparative approach. However, the use of register data also brings with it some significant challenges, in terms of acquiring the data (practical challenges) and in terms of biases in the data (content/ethical challenges). In this paper we discuss the usage of register data in terrorism research, with a focus on the Dutch and Swedish context. Whereas both countries are to some extent similar in that they both have a rich data-infrastructure, differences also exist regarding the type of data, agencies responsible for collecting and distributing the data, and ethical approaches. In the chapter, we will go into the strengths and weaknesses of using register data in research on terrorism and violent extremism. Moreover, we will elaborate on how the use of register data can be improved, what type of research questions can and cannot be answered based on register data, and on potential opportunities of integrating register data into mixed-methods designs.
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| 25. |
- Rostami, Amir, et al.
(författare)
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The Swedish Mujahideen : An Exploratory Study of 41 Swedish Foreign Fighters Deceased in Iraq and Syria
- 2020
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor and Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 43:5, s. 382-395
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study analyzes the demographics, criminality, and network relations of forty-one deceased Swedish foreign fighters. Our results show that most of the deceased Swedish foreign fighters were on average just under 26 years old when they died. Concerning network relations, nineteen out of the forty-one foreign fighters had at least one relationship (next-of-kin or friend) with another deceased foreign fighter. Two thirds were previously suspected of at least one crime. Based on our results, we argue that more attention needs to be given to tertiary and secondary prevention directed toward foreign fighter hubs.
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| 26. |
- Saab, Bilal Y., et al.
(författare)
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Securing Lebanon from the threat of salafist jihadism
- 2007
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 30:10, s. 825-855
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article essentially seeks to examine the history and dynamics of salafist jihadism in Lebanon, explain its causes, investigate its impact on Lebanese domestic security, and explore its future trajectory. The article also puts forward a range of policy prescriptions that could help the Lebanese state effectively reduce and ultimately eliminate the threat of local salafist jihadism.
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| 27. |
- Strandh, Veronica, 1982-, et al.
(författare)
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Swedish Counterterrorism Policy : An Intersection Between Prevention and Mitigation?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 38:5, s. 359-379
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this article is to analyze how and why Swedish counterterrorism policy has changed since 2001. It raises the issue of how counterterrorism interacts with other factors on the governmental agenda, which priorities are made, and how these can be understood. Although much empirical evidence on the real political influence of emergent interagency networks is still lacking in the case of Sweden, an attempt is made here to analyze the importance of focusing events. In the light of the Swedish national strategy for counterterrorism, the article analyzes the content of annual reports from the Swedish Security Service. The article also explores linkages between the counterterrorism and crisis management literatures, and argues that the reassuring overtones in Swedish counterterrorism policy of late can be understood not only as the result of changes in threat perception and policy, but also in institutional change.
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| 28. |
- Svensson, Isak, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Capitalizing on Cleavages : Transnational Jihadist Conflicts, Local Fault Lines and Cumulative Extremism
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; , s. 1-19
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Trans-national jihadist groups have established themselves across many contexts. However, we have limited knowledge about the larger picture of how such groups tap into various inter-religious, sectarian, or ethnic divisions. To address this research gap, we explore: How do trans-national jihadist groups mobilize on the basis of different forms of identity cleavages? Our empirical analysis focuses on all trans-national jihadist groups who have challenged governments in civil wars. We find that mobilization along ethnic divisions is the most common cleavage, and is increasing most over time. We also find that sectarian mobilization is rare, but associated with significant escalation of violence.
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| 29. |
- Ångström, Jan, Professor, 1970-
(författare)
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Escalation, Emulation, and the Failure of Hybrid Warfare in Afghanistan
- 2017
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1057-610X .- 1521-0731. ; 40:10, s. 838-856
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this article, I argue that hybridization is a contingent result of the dynamics of some conflicts but not others. In particular, faced with opponents with great power, weaker powers seek a situation of asymmetry to gain victory. Drawing on within-case analysis of the conduct of war during the past thirty years in Afghanistan, I demonstrate that what we now consider to be "hybrid" represents an important continuity and strategic option in Afghan warfare. Still, the analysis also demonstrates that choosing "hybrid" has not been a strategy that has worked. Hezb-i-Islami's rather limited attempt for conventionalization of the war against the forces of Dostum and Massoud in 1992 failed and the Taliban's more far-reaching attempt for conventionalization has so far also failed to reap strategic success. This suggests that the threat of hybrid war is inflated.
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- Necef, Mehmet Ümit, et al.
(författare)
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Jihadi Kitsch: The Promesse de Bonheur of Islamist Terrorism
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Ingår i: Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. - 1521-0731.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Elaborating on conceptualizations of kitsch in the realm of art and sociology in the context of ISIS propaganda and culture, this article introduces the concept of jihadi kitsch. Kitsch is characterized by a compulsion to escape from the banality of daily reality and lack of coherent meaning in modern society through, in the words of the philosopher and sociologist Theodor Adorno, a self-made and futile promesse de bonheur, i.e. promise of happiness. The article explicates and illustrates seven distinct aspects of jihadi kitsch: (1) escape from daily life, (2) eroticization of power and “pornokitsch,” (3) “kitsch of death”: romanticized and trivialized violence and death, (4) purity and filth, (5) moral collapse, (6) simplism: an easily accessible worldview, (7) nostalgia: looking back with longing to an authentic past. Capturing the kitsch aspect of jihadi propaganda and culture, the article contributes a new theoretical approach to the existing literature discussing the attractions of jihadism, and ends with a discussion on how the concept of jihadi kitsch can potentially contribute to combating Islamist terrorism through humor.
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