Terrorism and Political Violence

Understanding the evolving landscape of extremism in the 21st century.

The research group on terrorism and political violence is dedicated to conducting rigorous empirical research on the complex and ever-changing landscape of radicalisation, extremism, and terrorism in the modern era. With a focus on contemporary manifestations of these phenomena, the group seeks to shed light on the underlying factors, dynamics, and consequences of political violence in the 21st century.

Terrorism and other forms of political violence have had a profound and far-reaching impact on the world since the dawn of the new millennium. Over the past 20 years, the devastating September 11 attacks and the subsequent 'war on terror' that Western states launched have fundamentally altered global geopolitics and foreign policy priorities. The reverberations of these events continue to be felt to this day, influencing international relations, security policies, and public discourse around the world.

Domestic extremism and political violence

On the domestic front, the extremist threat landscape has been in a constant state of flux, presenting new challenges and concerns for governments, law enforcement agencies, and civil society. The early 2000s saw the emergence of ‘homegrown’ Islamist extremism, with individuals born and raised in Western countries becoming radicalised and engaging in terrorist activities. This trend reached new heights in the mid-2010s, as thousands of individuals from around the world travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the ranks of the so-called Islamic State as foreign fighters.

In recent years, the focus has shifted to the growing threat of right-wing extremism and anti-government movements, which have gained momentum against a backdrop of increasing societal polarisation and political instability. The rise of populist and nationalist sentiments, coupled with the spread of conspiracy theories and disinformation through social media, has created fertile ground for the radicalisation of individuals and groups across the ideological spectrum.

Global perspectives on political violence

In addition to examining terrorism and extremism more broadly, the group also investigates political violence, radicalisation, and extremism, as well as policy responses in the Global South. In particular, it interrogates how postcolonial legacies, structural inequalities, and contemporary geopolitical dynamics shape manifestations of political violence (for example, in Iraq, Nigeria, Indonesia, Mali, and Kazakhstan). This critical orientation extends to an examination of how Global South experiences and knowledge production can fundamentally reframe our understanding of radicalisation processes, challenging dominant epistemological assumptions and illuminating complex intersections between local grievances, transnational networks, and global power structures.