March 17, 2020

Threat Enhances Aggressive Inclinations Among Devoted Actors Via Increase in Their Relative Physical Formidability

Devoted actors—those who share sacred values with a group with which they are fused—are particularly willing to self-sacrifice to defend their group or values when they are threatened. Here, we explore whether they are also prone to aggressive inclinations toward those who endanger their group or convictions.

March 11, 2020

Scott Atran's new article, "Measures of Devotion to ISIS and other Fighting and Radicalized Groups"

Minerva-funded research Scott Atran's new article, "Measures of Devotion to ISIS and other Fighting and Radicalized Groups" has been published in "Current Opinion in Psychology". Read more

March 3, 2020

Minerva-funded researcher speaks on "What I Learned From Scanning the Brains of Potential Terrorist"

Minerva-funded researcher speaks on "What I Learned From Scanning the Brains of Potential Terrorist". This research discusses how understanding the mind of a radical Islamist can prevent the next white-nationalist attack.

Feb. 26, 2020

Dr. Michael Gabbay was awarded the Journal of Peace Research Article of the Year, for "Fraticide in Rebel Movements," (co-authored with Emily Kalah Gade & Mohammed M. Hafez)

On February 24, 2020, Minerva-funded researcher Dr. Michael Gabbay (Univ. of Washington, Applied Physics Laboratory) was awarded the Journal of Peace Research Article of the Year, for "Fraticide in Rebel Movements," (co-authored with Emily Kalah Gade & Mohammed M. Hafez). The article is based upon research funded by ARO and the Minerva Research Initiative. This article was judged on its theoretical contribution, methodological innovation and sophistication and relevance to practical aspects of building peace.

Feb. 11, 2020

Michael Allen's new article, "Outside the Wire: U.S. Military Deployments and Public Opinion in Host States"

How do citizens within countries hosting U.S. military personnel view that presence? Using new cross-national survey data from 14 countries, we examine how different forms of exposure to a U.S. military presence in a country affect attitudes toward the U.S. military, government, and people. We find that contact with U.S. military personnel or the receipt of economic benefits from the U.S. presence correlates with stronger support for the U.S. presence, people, and government.

Feb. 6, 2020

Michael Horowitz's new article on "The AI Literacy Gap Hobbling American Officialdom"

Minerva-funded researcher, Michael Horowitz and Lauren Kahn's new article on "The AI Literacy Gap Hobbling American Officialdom" discusses how a renewed emphasis on AI education for senior leaders that will help make key decisions about programs, funding, and adoption is essential for safe and effective U.S. adoption of AI in the national security sphere.

Feb. 4, 2020

The Role of Social Science Research in National Security

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (The National Academies) report on “The Role of Social Science Research in National Security” - highlights from three National Academies reports was released. This brief report discusses the national need for investing in basic research in social science and creating paths to integrate findings to inform national security actions and policies.

Jan. 30, 2020

Owl in the Olive Tree post on "It Takes Social Science to Counter the Power of Russia's Malign Influence Campaign"

Minerva-funded researchers Scott Atran, Richard Davis, and Hasan Davulcu's Owl in the Olive Tree post on "It Takes Social Science to Counter the Power of Russia's Malign Influence Campaign". Despite recent technical innovations, such as the use of social media, Russia’s current malign influence campaigns follow those of its Soviet predecessor. Unless we understand these strategies, we remain vulnerable to them. The new National Security Strategy acknowledges the return of great power competition along with...

Jan. 13, 2020

Robert Jervis's new article, "On the Current Confrontation with Iran"

Most obviously, humility is in order. Those of us of a certain age can remember when many thought that the 1972 mining of Hanoi and Haiphong would lead to something worse than the Cuban missile crisis. In the mid-1980s, few analysts thought the Cold War would soon end. Many journalists and not a few scholars claim deep knowledge of the Middle East and the ability to predict how everyone will react, but we should recognize that the layer of regional expertise in the United States is...

Dec. 20, 2019

Minerva researchers' new article on "Exploring the Social-Ecological Factors that Mobilize Children into Violence"

This article applies the social-ecological model to children’s mobilization into two violent groups—Central American gangs and terrorist organizations. While these two groups clearly differ in important ways, there are contextual similarities that frame a child’s involvement in each. For example, both flourish in low-resource settings where governmental structures may have been weakened or disrupted. Does it follow, therefore, that similar processes are at play in relation to children engaging in violent groups?