Impact of COVID on Violent Non-State Actors

On Thursday 18 November, 1600-1730 (CET), ICCT is hosting an online Live Briefing on The Impact of COVID-19 on Violent Non-State Actors.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically transformed the security landscape, shaping the actions of both terrorist and counter-terrorist actors. To evaluate and predict these changes induced by the COVID-19 Pandemic, researchers at Leiden University have surveyed 142 terrorism experts.

Based on this survey, this webinar will discuss some of the dominant assumptions amongst these experts on the impact of the pandemic on violent non-state actors. The project team – led by Dr Yannick Veilleux-Lepage – will be joined by three groups of experts discussing major themes arising from the survey. Dr. David Hofmann and Dr. Bàrbara Molas will discuss how violent non-state actors are adapting to the changing security environment. Dr. Leah West will discuss whether the pandemic has hampered states’ abilities to counter and respond to violent non-state actors. Dr. Eviane Leidig will discuss the implications and change in the nature of extremist propaganda during the pandemic. The webinar will be moderated by Dr. Teun van Dongen.

This event is partly funded by the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security, and Society’s small research project, titled Surveying Expert Assumptions on Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the CT/CVE Field.

The briefing will be concluded with a Q&A.

Presenter: Dr Yannick Veilleux-Lepage , Assistant Professor of Terrorism and Political Violence – Leiden University

Moderator: Dr. Teun van Dongen, Senior Research Fellow and Programme Lead, Current and Emerging Threats – International Centre for Counter-Terrorism

Panellists:

Dr. David Hofmann: Associate Professor of Sociology – University of New Brunswick

Dr. Bàrbara Molas: Postdoctoral Fellow – University of New Brunswick

Dr. Leah West: Assistant Professor of International Affairs – Carleton University.

Dr. Eviane Leidig: Research Fellow in the Current and Emerging Threats programme – International Centre for Counter-Terrorism