By Elena Savoia, Megan McBride, Jessica Stern, Max Su, Nigel Harriman, Ajmal Aziz and Richard Legault Abstract This article describes the use of developmental evaluation as applied to countering violent extremism (CVE) programs. It discusses the application of this method to an evaluation of the Boston CVE Pilot Program, with specific attention given to two…
Posts Tagged with Countering Violent Extremism
Out, Out—The Role of Messaging in Countering Domestic Violent Extremism
KathRYn Roberts EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Countering the radical Islamist narrative remains a high priority of the United States in its ongoing efforts to counter domestic violent extremism. In 2014, the rapid emergence of the Islamic State (IS) brought the idea of narratives to the forefront of public discussion. As the first terrorist organization to leverage social…
Unsuspected: The U.S. Military’s Unintended Contribution to Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
Nicholas King EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Many active-duty U.S. military members and veterans (MIL/VETs) are members of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs), which have documented histories of violence and criminal activity. While MIL/VETs adopt the protocols of OMG culture in the pursuit of a positive social identity, unfortunately, many have arrests for their participation in OMG-related criminal activity.…
Social Identity Theory and Intergroup Conflict in Israel/Palestine
Stephen Felty EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Intergroup dynamics have been a central vector in lasting identity conflicts around the globe. In Israel/Palestine, the conflict has not been reduced to the same level of sustained peace as it has in other countries. The conflicting groups often participate in increasingly destructive forms of reciprocating violence, which fuels narratives that…
Reconsidering CVE: The Unintended Consequences of Countering Violent Extremism Efforts in America
Nabeela Barbari EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Between September 12, 2001, and December 31, 2016, there were eighty-five violent extremist attacks in the United States, which resulted in over 225 fatalities.[1] Tragically, this number became outdated almost immediately after it was reported; at least five attacks killed a dozen more people between January 2017 and November 2017. These incidents…
Tailoring Violent Extremism Prevention: A Targeted Intervention Method
Mourad Mourad EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Terrorist recruitment and radicalization is a hazard facing our nation, regardless of whether the threat is from a domestic or foreign terrorist organization.[1] There are many ways an individual can radicalize, and the path to radicalization is not linear.[2] In order to implement a sustainable program that disengages violent extremists and makes communities…
(Un)convinced to Kill
Morgan Minor EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As the territorial significance once held by the Islamic State continues to deteriorate, Western nations are grappling with how to handle returning foreign fighters. Processing, categorization, and management of returning foreign fighters must be done in a way that reduces the risk of increased radicalization, both within the justice system and…
Crowdsourcing Threat Analysis; Applying a “Superforecasting” Methodology to Detection of Homegrown Violence
James Huse EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This thesis examines investigative decision making, cognitive biases, talent sharing, and the relationship between the random nature of lone actor violence and a set of predefined decision-making protocols. Targeted violence presents a paradox for the homeland security enterprise. These single attacker events, whether assassinations, school shootings, or lone wolf terrorist attacks,…
In Bad Faith: The Link Between Religious Conversion & Violent Extremism
Brian Gibson EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recent studies have found a disproportionate number of converts to Islam are taking part in radical activities as opposed to those born into the faith. Forty percent of those arrested in the United States for activities related to the Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL) are converts to Islam.[1] Only about…
The Cloudy Crystal Ball: Detecting and Disrupting Homegrown Violent Extremism
James Pendley EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Some observers are critical that recent attacks related to homegrown violent extremism (HVE) in the United States have occurred because investigators had information about would-be perpetrators but missed warning signs of imminent violence. Others rightfully contend that absent a crystal ball, some violent attacks will occur despite the best efforts of…