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Canadian press coverage of terrorism: The virgin terrorist vs. the Canadian jihadist?
Saxena, Kajal ; Conway, Maura (vedoucí práce) ; Aslan, Emil (oponent)
The violent and deadly rise of Incel attacks has disrupted Canada's domestic terrorism landscape by putting a spotlight on non-Jihadist extremism. In 2019, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service released a report which revealed an evolved overview of Canada's domestic terrorism landscape that redefined extremism to include: Ideologically-motivated violent extremism (IMVE). With the occurrence of four deadly Incel terrorist attacks between 2018 and 2020, Canada has experienced more Incel terrorism related deaths than those committed by their Jihadist counterparts. By examining the nexus between news media framings and terrorism, this research study seeks to contribute to the gap in terrorism studies on Incels and analyses the way in which the Canadian news media frames their attacks within the label of terrorism. Referencing Azeezah Kanji's 2018 study of news media framings of Muslim violence as a theoretical and thematic framework, this study employs a qualitative research design to answer the research question: In what ways does news media coverage of Incel attacks compare to the coverage of domestic Jihadist attacks? This study employs a combination of content and thematic analysis to a corpus of news media articles on four recent Incel attacks and compares its findings to Kanji's 2018 study....
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Effectiveness and consequences of counterterrorism strategies in Pakistan: A critical appraisal of National Action Plan
Wahab, Fazal ; Aliyev, Huseyn (vedoucí práce) ; Aslan, Emil (oponent)
This study explores and evaluates the effectiveness of the Counterterrorism (CT) policies of Pakistan, particularly, the National Action Plan (NAP) and military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Tribal districts in the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderland. In this study, I argue that there is dearth of literature on the evaluation of effectiveness of CT policies particularly in the case of Pakistan. Using Eric Van Um & Daniela Pisoiu's Model of Effectiveness (2015), with concepts like Output effectiveness, Outcome effectiveness and Impact effectiveness, in this dissertation I argue that NAP and military operations in Tribal districts have been partially effective as it restored the government writ in different parts of the country and resulted in a steep decline in terrorist incidents. However, the plan is not highly effective as the threat of terrorism and extremism still exist. I also argue that the hard or military aspects of the NAP was executed soon after the plan was announced, however, to implement the soft aspects of the plan a lot still needs to be done. Nevertheless, CT polices of Pakistan failed to take into consideration the social and cultural aspects of Tribal districts. Therefore, I also contend that NAP and military operations in the Tribal districts resulted into socio-cultural...
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Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab resiliency and incumbent governments' ineffectiveness: Rethinking counterinsurgency against Salafist Islam-inspired insurgencies through a wicked problem analytical approach
Edet, Isidore Henry ; Aslan, Emil (vedoucí práce) ; Biagini, Erika (oponent)
This study explores the relationship between Jihadist insurgency typified by Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab conflicts and wicked problems. Although a large number of research has been carried out on insurgency and counterinsurgency (COIN), and the concept of the wicked problem has been applied to many studies in varying academic disciplines, there is no research on Salafism-inspired insurgency and the COIN efforts to resolve it using the concept of wicked problem. The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a document analysis strategy to provide critical analysis of the ''how'' and ''why'' the two insurgencies are wicked problems, the failures of the incumbent states to defeat them, and a proposal of a wicked problem governance framework for managing the conflicts. The study concluded that the wicked problem concept has an explanatory utility that can illuminate the character of jihadist insurgencies and proposed taming as a governance solution to the insurgencies.
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Security sector reform and post conflict peacebuilding in Afghanistan
Daim, Makam khan ; Visoka, Gëzim (vedoucí práce) ; Aslan, Emil (oponent)
Security Sector Reform (SSR) is considered a significant feature in post-conflict peacebuilding efforts typically employed by states and international partners. Recently, the concept of SSR has played a significant role in the statebuilding process in Afghanistan after the Taliban regime; however, a disorganised and unplanned withdrawal poses severe threats to the security sector. This thesis explores the SSR efforts made by the western states after the end of the Taliban regime. The holistic approaches present in policy and strategy documents are quite challenging when it comes to SSR implementation in a post-conflict country ruled by an insurgent group for years. This thesis illustrates two competing approaches that show how SSR played a role in the post-conflict peacebuilding within Afghanistan and how peace spoilers and US/NATO withdrawal will impact the gains of twenty years in SSR. In order to better analyse the SSR process, a case study of the Afghan National Police is used. Moreover, this thesis offers some practical policy recommendations that can be useful for the concept of SSR in Afghanistan. This thesis does not offer a solution to the challenges of SSR in post-conflict countries like Afghanistan. Yet, it suggests that an uncoordinated withdrawal of external powers can negatively...
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Drivers of violent extremism in Central Asian States: A comparative analysis
Niiazbek Kyzy, Aida ; Aslan, Emil (vedoucí práce) ; Anceschi, Luca (oponent)
DRIVERS OF VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN CENTRAL ASIAN STATES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS Abstract Achieving success in the fight against extremism is impossible without understanding its causes and conditions of occurrence. Solving the problem of preventing and qualifying extremist manifestations requires understanding the essence and the determinants of violent extremism. This thesis analyses the main driving factors for violent extremism, particularly for Central Asian states and carries out a comparative analysis for five given states. Based on this goal, this thesis explores the concept of radicalization and violent extremism, considers various models of radicalisation that exist in the literature, and indicates the main reasons and conditions affecting radicalisation that are peculiar to the Central Asian states. Using a systematic approach and a comparative analysis of the available literature, synthesis and logical generalisation of the results obtained, the article clarifies the concept of violent extremism and its signs. Also, it highlights a complex of contextual risk factors for radicalisation specific to the states of the region. The use of the research results can contribute to a deeper understanding of the causes of violent extremism and, as a result, it can help to improve preventive measures in Central...
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The main causes of migration in the Middle East: Is migration predominantly caused by armed conflicts?
Béres, Dóra ; Karásek, Tomáš (vedoucí práce) ; Aslan, Emil (oponent)
This diploma thesis deals with the causes of migration with a special focus on the relationship between international irregular migration and armed conflicts. The first part of the thesis consists of a short overview on the security challenges in the 21st century as a method of approach to the migration topic. Engaging the issue, I clear first the definition then overview the common causes of migration in the Middle East, my geographical area of research. Using Lee's theory of migration, I identify the main push and pull factors behind an individual's or group's decision to leave the homeland. The main part of dissertation deals with the armed conflicts in the Middle East and its effect on the volume of migration. Investigating the different aspects of the topic I narrow my research to Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and the Palestinian territory. In the last part of the dissertation through a descriptive analysis of two case studies I apply Lee's theory to show the chain process that led to the today experienced large-scale migration of Syrian and Iraqi people. As a conclusion, the research question addressed by stating that in the Middle East from the many push factors of migration the armed conflict represents the greatest threat.
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