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The group is unique in the British think tank community. The terrorism and conflict group draws on its diverse experience and a network of experts to deliver bespoke research and advisory services.
Our team includes academics, former policy-makers, practitioners and researchers who deploy an evidence-based approach to support policy and decision-making. This multidisciplinary capability is complemented by an extensive formal and informal network of high-level contacts across the globe.
The Terrorism and Conflict Group aims to:
On counter-extremism and understanding contemporary geographies of radicalisation, RUSI runs a suite of projects in the UK and a number of global locations including Kenya, Somalia, Afghanistan, Russia, Central Asia, Lebanon and Sudan. In Kenya, our groundbreaking programme involves local mentors working with youths at risk of radicalisation, in an approach described as ‘innovative’ in a major feature by The Guardian in March 2019. In a major feature, the newspaper highlighted the programme’s unconventional approaches to persuade people away from extremism. The lessons learned from this programme have been incorporated into subsequent counter-radicalisation interventions developed by other organisations, such as the British Council. RUSI is implementing a similar EU-funded initiative in Afghanistan and the model has been taken to policymakers in other countries. In Russia and Central Asia, RUSI carried out fieldwork and works with local partners to study radicalisation amongst labour migrants in Russia, making recommendations in local languages.
RUSI’s expertise in this area was brought together in a major agenda-shaping paper that assessed the current state of global counter-radicalisation work, and was launched in New York, Brussels and London with senior level support from the UN, the EU and numerous governments. RUSI also diseminates through training of policy and development practitioners including for the European Commission.
RUSI also conducts research related to issues of gender, terrorism and conflict. In April 2019, the BBC published research from RUSI on the reasons why women turn to terrorism and rehabilitation approaches for former or returning fighters. In 2016-2017 RUSI implemented a formative five country study on gender, radicalisation and countering violent extremism.
In 2018-2019 RUSI led the Global Research Network on Terrorism and Technology as part of its growing work on terrorist online andd offline content.
Emily Winterbotham
The Prevention Project is a comprehensive research programme on the effectiveness of countering violent extremism projects.
Tags: Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project
Claudia Wallner
This paper assesses the effectiveness of preventing and countering violent extremism through education initiatives, and highlights what can work (and what does not).
Tags: Tackling Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project
Jessica White
Media coverage of terrorism amplifies its effects. The negative consequences of any such coverage can be mitigated by responsible and ethical reporting practices.
Tags: Terrorism and Conflict, UK, Domestic Security, Terrorism
Emily Winterbotham
This paper assesses the effectiveness of women-centric P/CVE initiatives, and highlights what can work (and what does not).
Tags: Tackling Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Michael Jones and Emily Winterbotham
This paper outlines the research methodology used in the Prevention Project.
Tags: Tackling Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Jessica White
Gender inequality remains an often underestimated and under-recognised contributing factor to many health, economic, security and societal challenges. The current global health crisis highlights just how deep these inequalities run.
Coronavirus, North America, Terrorism and Conflict, Domestic Security, Global Security Issues, Law and Ethics, Terrorism, Europe
Claudia Wallner and Jessica White
Extremist groups across the ideological spectrum are capitalising on the uncertainty created by the pandemic.
UK Counter-terrorism, Afghanistan, Tackling Extremism, Germany, Terrorism and Conflict, International Security Studies, UK, Domestic Security, Law and Ethics, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Europe
Jessica White
Recognition of International Women’s Day has been growing in recent years, with more using the day to highlight obstacles remaining to gender equality. Still, arguments linger over the best ways to increase women’s meaningful participation in the peace and security sectors.
Terrorism and Conflict, Security Policy, UK, Domestic Security, Global Security Issues, International Institutions, National Security, UK Defence
Jessica White
While the initial furore seems to have abated after the US killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, the ripple effects will continue to spread across the region.
Iran, Terrorism and Conflict, Iraq, Counterinsurgency, Middle East and North Africa
Michael Jones
A wave of protests sweeping the country may, unlike previous crises, be quite significant.
Horn of Africa, Terrorism and Conflict, Sudan, Global Security Issues, National Security, STRIVE, Resilience, Africa
Emily Winterbotham
The Prevention Project is a comprehensive research programme on the effectiveness of countering violent extremism projects.
The Prevention Project, Other Publications, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project
Claudia Wallner
This paper assesses the effectiveness of preventing and countering violent extremism through education initiatives, and highlights what can work (and what does not).
The Prevention Project, Occasional Papers, Tackling Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project
Jessica White
Media coverage of terrorism amplifies its effects. The negative consequences of any such coverage can be mitigated by responsible and ethical reporting practices.
Occasional Papers, Terrorism and Conflict, UK, Domestic Security, Terrorism
Emily Winterbotham
This paper assesses the effectiveness of women-centric P/CVE initiatives, and highlights what can work (and what does not).
The Prevention Project, Occasional Papers, Tackling Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Michael Jones and Emily Winterbotham
This paper outlines the research methodology used in the Prevention Project.
The Prevention Project, Occasional Papers, Tackling Extremism, Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
The first webinar in this series will provide a data-driven update on how the Arabic speaking core of the Salafi-Jihadi information ecosystem has continued to evolve.
Terrorism and Conflict, Terrorism
Seminar 1: What Can (not) Work in Women-Centric P/CVE Initiatives?
Terrorism and Conflict, The Prevention Project
Launching RUSI's Terrorism and the Mass Media paper - examining the literature on the role of the media in terrorism.
Terrorism and Conflict
RUSI hosted a lecture with Jonathan Hall QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation since May 2019.
Terrorism and Conflict
At this event, Ambassador Monica Juma, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, spoke on emerging security issues in the Horn of Africa.
Terrorism and Conflict, Africa
The successful and spectacular inaugural launch of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy this week not only captured public imaginations with its ground-breaking double booster recovery and quirky payload, but also...
Tags: Aerospace, United States, Air Power and Technology, Terrorism and Conflict
RUSI Research Fellow Cathy Haenlein introduces on BBC World a new report by KPMG commissioned by RUSI investigates the scale of the illicit cigarette trade in the EU, Norway and Switzerland.
Tags: Terrorism and Conflict, Illicit Trade
RUSI experts Raffaello Pantucci and Emily Winterbotham took part in a live conversation discussing the Manchester attacks that took place in Manchester on Monday 23 May.
Tags: Terrorism and Conflict, International Security Studies, UK, Terrorism, Terrorism
RUSI Senior Research Fellow Jennifer Cole examines the implications of the alleged use of VX Nerve agent against North Korean figure Kim Jong-Nam in Malaysia.
Tags: North Korea, Terrorism and Conflict, Resilience, Pacific
The UK’s New Way on Huawei
On the Cusp: Senator Angus King
UK-China Relations After the Huawei Decision