See below a selection of poster submissions. Click on the dropdown to read the full abstract and download a pdf of the poster.

Charlotte Betts

Research Assistant | University of Liverpool

Advancing Emergency Services Interoperability: Optimising Digital Tools to Promote Joint Organisational Learning

Co-author(s): Nicola Power

Abstract:

Faced with evolving major incidents, from terrorism to extreme weather, the emergency services must embrace organisational learning to respond to threats and increase resilience. The Joint Organisational Learning (JOL) platform enables emergency services personnel to share experiences and insights. It is managed by JESIP, a group responsible for supporting teamwork across the UK Emergency Services. Yet, despite its potential, JOL remains underutilised. We are investigating user experiences of JOL and aim to uncover incentives to bolster its use. Semi-structured interviews are being conducted with JOL users (n~25) to explore: (i) the barriers inhibiting JOL use; (ii) how JOL may be facilitated and improved; and (iii) the broader culture of organisational learning. Data will be analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Initial insights suggest the importance of organisational culture for sharing information, alongside the need to enhance JOL's accessibility and output quality. Building upon our interviews, we are conducting an online survey, recruiting both JOL users and non-users, to explore opinions and experiences of organisational learning, and understanding user experiences and recommendations of JOL. Analyses will be completed before the conference. Findings will be of interest to researchers and practitioners who are interested in improving organisational learning in high reliability organisations.

Zsofia Baumann

PhD Candidate / Junior Researcher | University of Amsterdam / T.M.C. Asser Institute

The role of the community in radicalisation – a comparison between Islamist and right-wing community-engagement

Abstract: 

A multitude of factors contribute to a person turning to radical ideologies and eventually committing acts of violence. The different social circles one belongs to can play a significant role in both encouraging and discouraging people from engaging with radical ideologies and in violent extremism, neither of which processes happens in a vacuum. The social environment around an individual is not homogenous, it consists of different groups, with varying levels of relationship to and influence on the person. One of these groups is the community, the social and political environment from which radical milieus often emerge. 
These communities have become important actors in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) policies. However, research has been predominantly focused on Islamist radicalisation and the role the social environment plays in it, making communities, specifically Muslim communities both active participants, as well as passive targets of these policies. Community-engagement in P/CVE policies is therefore based on the assumption that these communities are ethnically and/or religiously different from mainstream society. This poses the question: in the case of radicalisation into racially and ethnically motivated or right-wing violent extremism, who do we understand to be ‘the community’? What communities, if any, do P/CVE policies target in this case?

Ovidiu Craciunas

PhD Candidate | University of St Andrews

Modelling the Radicalization Processes of Lone-Actor Terrorists

Abstract:

While scholarly understanding of lone-actor terrorists has progressed considerably during recent years, there are still several aspects that remain poorly understood, and which have not yet been thoroughly researched. One such aspect is the radicalization of such individuals.

The aim of the current study is to address this by looking at the narratives of lone-actor terrorists and gaining a better understanding of how radicalization occurs. For this purpose, a database was built, containing biographic information on known lone-actor terrorists, using openly available sources. To provide a more systematic approach to understanding radicalization, a set of nine radicalization mechanisms was created, based on existing literature as well as research conducted on the subjects included in the database. These mechanisms are political grievances, personal grievances, mental health, martyrdom & copycat effects, in group influences, wider political narratives, thrill seeking, fixation, and alienation. The narrative of each subject was reconstructed from available data and the radicalization mechanisms were identified and traced within each narrative, as they evolved over time and as they interacted with each other, ultimately leading the individual to their decision to commit violence. The study shows that the nine mechanisms played key roles within the narratives of the studied subjects.

Lina Hillner

PhD Candidate | University of Portsmouth

Facilitating Disclosure: The Impact of Perceived Trustworthiness and Rapport on Information Sharing in Remote Interviews

Co-author(s): Lorraine Hope (University of Portsmouth), Feni Kontogianni (University of Winchester), Stacey Conchie (Lancaster University)

Abstract:

While the role of rapport-building in investigative interviewing has been studied extensively, the role of trust in these contexts remains largely unexplored. Using a 2 (Trustworthiness: trustworthy vs untrustworthy) x 2 (Rapport-building: present vs absent) between-subject design, we investigated whether interviewer trustworthiness and rapport-building affect the amount of information disclosed in a simulated vetting interview via phone. First, participants (N=178) were asked to imagine that their friend ‘John’ is applying to be a police officer. Participants were then given information about John’s life covering topics such as family, employment, drug use, and addiction history. Using different behavioural indicators in a novel trustworthiness paradigm, the interviewer was manipulated to be perceived as untrustworthy or trustworthy. After completing a manipulation check, participants were interviewed via Zoom (audio only to mimic a phone call), during which interviewers either built or did not build rapport. Lastly, participants were asked to rate perceived level of rapport, tendency to trust, reporting strategies, and attitudes about police legitimacy. It was predicted that interviewees provide the most sensitive information when interviewed by a trustworthy interviewer who builds rapport. Results will be informative for investigative practitioners tasked with eliciting information remotely.

Erin Lawlor

PhD Researcher | CENTRIC - Sheffield Hallam University 

My Neighbour The Terrorist: A discussion with the communities we ask convicted terrorist offenders to re-integrate into and how we can increase resilience in them

Abstract:

As of June 2023, there were 234 people in custody for terrorism-connected offences in Britain, but that’s not where they’ll stay. In the year ending March 2023 49 prisoners were released, with the most common sentence length being less than four years, soon, many of those in custody will be returning to their homes and communities.

The word terrorism sends ripples of fear through the public and so how would people react if they knew that their new neighbour was actually a convicted terrorist. Would it matter in which ideological bucket they were categorised? Would a Neo Nazi be more palatable than a Salafi Jihadist? Would the nature of their crime matter? Is donation to an extremist group worse than posting extremist rhetoric on social media? Adult crime reoffending rates are increasing and whilst there are rehabilitative efforts focused on the individual, can we truly expect a person to re-integrate into a society that fears them. This public survey is polling members of the public to build up a profile of attitudes towards extremists with the long term aim to feed into rehabilitative programmes for those leaving custody and provide educational materials for communities on supporting those that are re-integrating.

Amanda Moeller

Research Associate | National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE)

Digital Dialogues and Extremist Echoes: A Comprehensive Review of Online Community Dynamics in the Age of Extremism

Co-author(s): Dr. Kat Parsons, Kayla Lacey, Carter Welch, Dr. Gina Ligon & Dr. Sam Hunter

Abstract:

The evolution of modern connectivity has given rise to a significant social phenomenon: the proliferation of online communities. This review delves into the multifaceted nature of online communities, exploring their structures, dynamics, and roles in contemporary society. Drawing from a rich body of literature, it uncovers mechanisms governing online community management, member characteristics, and dynamics. Additionally, it addresses the growing concern of online communities intersecting with domestic violent extremism (DVE) groups, highlighting the potential for radicalization within digital environments. The review synthesizes insights from case studies such as a Reddit community's response to the Boston Marathon bombing, internet radicalization pipelines, and the role of online platforms linked to the QAnon conspiracy theory. These case studies underscore the real-world consequences of unchecked extremism within online spaces, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding and collective action to address challenges posed by extremism in the digital age.

Phoebe Mullis

Junior Researcher | T.M.C. Asser Institute

Weaponising Womahood: A Comparative Analysis of Rhetoric on Female Radicalisation in Far-Right and Jihadist Groups 

Co-author: Julia Mullert

Abstract:

Research on women’s roles in terrorism and extremist movements has often been limited to victim-based narratives, such as that of “jihadi brides.” However, as rates of female participation in terrorism have increased across the ideological spectrum, a more critical approach is necessary to explain women’s radicalization to extremism. While prior work has been done on women’s roles in extremist groups, there is a current research gap on how rhetoric and tactics differ across ideological positions. 

This paper will examine the rhetoric employed by jihadist and far-right extremist groups to radicalize and recruit women. By conducting a comparative analysis of the tactics used by these two types of groups, this study seeks to identify common themes, strategies, and differences in the recruitment processes. The research will draw on a range of primary sources, including propaganda materials and online forums, as well existing literature on the subject. By shedding light on the rhetoric used to radicalize and recruit women to extremist groups, this paper will aim to provide insight into the motivations and strategies employed by these organizations. The findings will seek to enhance our understanding of the recruitment process and inform efforts to counter extremist narratives targeting women.

Bella Orpen

Research Assistant | Cardiff University

Down the Rabbit Hole: 5 Pathways to High Conspiracy Mentality 

Abstract:

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic and in the face of a rise of political populism conspiracy beliefs have been highlighted as a serious risk to national security. It is important that security research understands the different pathways to the mentality behind conspiracy beliefs and understand how conditions thought to be associated with conspiracy mentality may impact one another. This study uses Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FSQCA) to identify 5 pathways which are associated with high conspiracy mentality. It further notes that key conditions such as paranoia, religiosity, confirmation bias, trust in government and patriotism have differential impacts upon one another which as a result impact pathways to conspiracy beliefs. Accounting for the impact of conditions on one another helps to explain some inconsistencies in previous research. This analysis also identifies 3 distinct pathways which are associated with an absence of conspiracy mentality. Understanding of the different routes towards and away from conspiracy beliefs will allow for more accurate risk assessment, communications with at risk groups and insights into how to curb the most harmful effects of conspiracy beliefs.

Bram Sizoo

Professor in the Clinical Psychology of Radicalisation | University of Amsterdam

The Psychological Function of Narratives: A Comparative Study 

Abstract:

Extremist violence is often thought to be inspired by left- or right-wing, Jihadist or single-issue ideologies. However, in the past decade individuals seem to be increasingly inspired by a broad range of narratives, which cannot be easily linked to an ideology. For example, narratives that unite Incels, conspiracy thinkers, or sovereign citizens. Interestingly, the Netherlands police force has observed that individuals appear to exchange their explanatory narrative for alternative narratives over time, or even adopt an eclectic mix of narratives. Also, what they report to be the motivation for their radical or extremist behaviour changes along with the adopted narrative, while the underlying and preexisting psychological needs remain the same. This raises the impression that what they report to be their motivation, is rather a justification. The emerging research question is whether we should focus more on the function of the different narratives, rather than their content. In other words: what do narratives offer in terms of (neuro-) psychological reward? The method will comprise of a qualitative multi-level analysis of different narratives (and ideologies) from a historical, sociological, philosophical and psychological perspective.

James Stevenson

PhD Candidate | Bristol University

Prompt Engineering a Generative Large Language Model for Identifying and Explaining Extreme Content and Roles
in Conversation

Co-author(s): Luke Gassmann 

Abstract:

This poster details an early research hypothesis and methodology for research looking to build off classical techniques for classifying extremist content and to explore the applicability of utilising large language models for supporting in this task.

In this poster we’ll explore early research on whether state-of-the-art generative large language models can identify and explain extreme content types and roles in online conversations. This poses two research questions focusing on identifying and explaining extreme content types and roles in online social interactions. The methodology involves data collection from various Telegram channels, labelling data based on extremism levels and user roles, and assessing conversations for extremist content and user roles.

 

Congratulations to our winners:

JUDGE'S AWARD

1# Charlotte Betts

Advancing Emergency Services Interoperability l: Optimising Digital Tools to Promote Joint Organisational Learning 

2# Phoebe Mullis & Julia Mullert

Weaponising Womanhood: A Comparative Analysis of Rhetoric on Female Radicalisation in Far-Right and Jihadist Groups

PUBLIC VOTE

1# Bella Orpen

Down the Rabbit Hole: 5 Pathways to High Conspiracy Mentality 

2# Phoebe Mullis & Julia Mullert

Weaponising Womanhood: A Comparative Analysis of Rhetoric on Female Radicalisation in Far-Right and Jihadist Groups

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