Looking Through Jihadi Clusters: Explaining Jihadism in the West

Summary

Since the Islamic State lost control of its territorial caliphate in 2019, a series of publications have shed the light on a largely ignored phenomenon: the geographical formation of jihadist hotbeds and clusters in both Western and MENA countries. In this intervening period, affiliate and splinter groups of both the Islamic State and al-Qaeda remain significant and varied threats. To discuss these topics and more, this event brought together researchers who have been documenting and explaining this phenomenon as it has evolved in the years since the collapse of the Islamic State’s governed territory. Panelists explored similarities, parallels, and differences within each milieu, exploring the evolution of this trend as well as the counterterrorism policy implications for the United States and Europe.

The panel, moderated by Program Research Fellow Hugo Micheron, featured insights from:

• Noemie Bouhana, Professor of Crime Science and Counter Extremism at University College London
• Nate Rosenblatt, Foreign Affairs Officer and Strategy Advisor at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism
• Johannes Saal, Sociologist of religion and political scientist at the Center for Religion, Economy and Politics (ZRWP) at the University of Lucerne