10 year anniversary
Tackling Extremism Through Research and Action
Celebrating 10 years of Impact
2025 marks a significant milestone for the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University as we celebrate our 10th anniversary. Since our inception in 2015, we have been at the forefront of research, training, and policy development addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by violent and non-violent extremism.
Our reputation as a non-partisan, empirically-driven center has meant that our research is trusted, cited, and otherwise used by policymakers, officials, law enforcement and media outlets in the U.S. and worldwide. Examples of our partnerships include the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice (for which our experts have testified more than 25 times), the Global Anti-ISIS Coalition, and the New York Times (with which we have a research agreement to work on ISIS documents);
Our program has produced a diverse array of research spanning domestic and global threats, including domestic extremist movements, Islamist and jihadist networks, and antisemitism. Notable publications such as our "ISIS in America: From Retweets to Raqqa" (2015) and "The Hamas network in America: A Short History" (2023) reports, which have been critical in providing both officials and the general public with critical knowledge on important topics and have even become official Congressional documents. In addition to the almost 400 publications we have released, we also produce a widely appreciated Extremism Trackers, which offer up-to-date monitoring of key developments across various extremist movements, and a newsletter received by thousands of subscribers. Moreover, we have hosted 175 public events covering a myriad of topic and with an average attendance of 100 people.
While producing academic research is a crucially important component of what the Program does and one of the main reasons it has acquired widespread acclaim, we are also an investigative and results-aimed entity seeking to aid law enforcement/policymakers challenge nefarious actors and change the nature of the debate. On occasions, our work has demonstrably led to several successful investigations and prosecutions. Tangible results is the name of the game.
Over the years, the Program has also conducted more than 200 trainings to equip law enforcement, community organizations, university leaders and other key audiences with the tools to identify and respond to extremist activities. Our modules cover a range of topics, including campus extremism and Hamas in the U.S., homegrown violent extremism/jihadism, domestic violent extremism, and antisemitism. Delivered by a diverse set of distinguished former law enforcement personnel and subject matter experts, these sessions have been instrumental in enhancing threat assessment and community safety efforts.
'I am proud of what the Program has accomplished in these ten years, becoming one of America’s leading and most trusted voices in the countering extremism space. As we approach this landmark, we are experiencing important growth, with an expanding team that now includes half a dozen recently retired law enforcement professionals. Sadly, both in America and globally, extremism continues to grow and display new dynamics. The Program is ready to tackle these challenges with the same energy and analytical clarity that have made it a point of reference in these first ten years.'
Lorenzo Vidino
Director