ICSR

22/05/2025

📢 Exciting news! The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) is merging with the Centre for Grand Strategy (CGS) to form a new hub within the Department of War Studies at King's College London: the Centre for Statecraft & National Security (CSNS).

Building on the strengths of both ICSR and CGS – each renowned for pioneering, world-class research – CSNS will provide fresh and integrated thinking on international affairs and national security, with a long-term strategic focus.

➡️ https://csns.uk/
🦋 https://bsky.app/profile/csns-uk.bsky.social
𝕏 https://x.com/CSNS_UK

21/02/2025

"To better understand the current perspective of Palestinians in Gaza, we examined their interpretation of the conflict so far. We asked why members of their own group supported violence during the war and why they believed the other side did. A striking pattern emerged: both Israelis and Palestinians attributed their own side’s attacks to “ingroup love” (concern and protection for their people) more than to “outgroup hate” (a desire to harm the other side). However, both groups believed that the other side was motivated more by hatred.

This perception gap matters. Research shows that when people believe they are hated by another group, they become less inclined to support diplomatic solutions. Our data confirms this. When it comes to long-term political futures in Gaza, slightly less than half (48%) of Palestinians remain supportive of some form of a two-state solution. Others said the more realistic scenarios for ending the conflict involve the displacement of Jews from the region (20%), or the establishment of one state under strict sharia law (27%), in which Jews would have fewer rights. Only 5% believed in a one-state solution with coexistence under equal rights," writes Research Fellow Nils Mallock in his latest piece for The Guardian.

Support for Hamas is declining – no obvious alternative has emerged, but our poll shows there are reasons to be hopeful, says Nils Mallock, a research fellow at King’s College London

03/02/2025

With many of the foreign fighters now rendered stateless, having had their citizenship revoked, experts suggest the long-term solution could in fact be for the detainees to face trial under Syria’s new interim government. Headed by al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, the administration has signalled plans for a new judicial system.

Such a move would serve as a political bargaining chip for al-Sharaa while allowing European countries to sidestep repatriation. HTS, which began as a splinter group of al-Qaeda before renouncing them in 2016, is still designated as a terror group by the UK, US, UN and the EU, among many others.

"It’s a great counterweight for him. He [al-Sharaa] can say ‘we’re not extremists, we’re prosecuting Islamic extremism’", says ICSR Co-Director Dr Shiraz Maher, who adds that deradicalised women and children from the camps could be offered Syrian citizenship.

Observers are warning that detention camps housing followers of the notorious Isis caliphate are close to collapse

31/01/2025

"We have surveyed and interviewed hundreds of former and active rebel fighters in Syria, including members of HTS, in the months leading up to the offensive that ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and in the wake of his toppling. Our findings suggest that for outside actors attempting to influence rebel groups, some diplomatic tools might backfire. In particular, when foreign governments offer traditional economic incentives to these groups, it can inadvertently undercut the legitimacy of more pragmatic leaders. Instead of influencing Damascus through investments or trade deals, foreign countries that want to see a secure and inclusive Syria would be better off leveraging symbolic diplomatic gestures and providing unconditional humanitarian aid. Without outside help or with the wrong kind of foreign aid, Syria will be more likely to slide back into civil war or come under the thumb of another despot," write Dr Nafees Hamid, Nils Mallock, Broderick McDonald, and Rahaf Aldoughli.

Economic aid can undermine rebel leaders.

27/01/2025

"One of the criticisms levelled against the PMF leadership's engagement with the tribal mobilisation is the political instrumentalisation of the Sunnis in the province, specifically the empowerment of loyal tribal actors at the expense of more critical voices," says Senior Research Fellow Dr Inna Rudolf.

Washington has its sights on curbing a force many say answers only to Iran, but one that is deeply embedded in local economies