Today's fourth episode of our series on blasphemy will focus on the worldwide protests against the Danish cartoons of the Muslim Prophet, also known as the case of Jyllands-Posten. Lucinda speaks with author of The Cartoons that Shook the World, Dr. Jytte Klausen, who will be able to offer a distinct perspective and unique insight into her experience of freedom of expression. Together they explore her book in more detail and discuss the parallels between the current trend of Quran burni...

Today's third episode of our series on blasphemy will focus on the Quran burning incidents that have occurred in Scandinavia recently. Lucinda speaks with distinguished counterterrorism expert Dr. Magnus Ranstorp to try to understand the reactions as well as the political and social impact the incidents have had thus far. Magnus has been researching counterterrorism and CVE issues for almost thirty years. He was the first author to seriously map out the Lebanese Hizbollah movement and ...

Today's second episode of Fighting Terror's new series will shed light on the concept of blasphemy in Islamic theology and its significance within the religion. Lucinda speaks with Professor Jocelyne Cesari who will offer insights into the concept of blasphemy and its historical roots and how some Islamist extremist groups use blasphemy to further their agendas and mobilise followers, as well as the implications for societal cohesion. Professor Jocelyne Cesari holds the Chair of Religio...

What is blasphemy and blasmphemy violence and what drives violence against perceived blasmphemers? Who are the main victims and perpetrators of blasmphemy violence? How did the Salman Rushdie affair shape perceptions and discussions around blasphemy in the Western world and are there risks associated with curtailing freedom of expression? The first episode of Fighting Terror’s new series on blasphemy will aim to provide our listeners with a deeper understanding of free speech and blasphemy af...

In today's final episode of CEP’s Eye on Antisemitism, Lucinda turns to the EU and looks at what they are currently doing to combat antisemitism. She speaks with Katharina von Schnurbein who is the European Commission Coordinator for the EU strategy on combatting antisemitism and fostering Jewish life. Katharina was appointed the first European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism in December 2015. Her mandate includes liaising closely with the Jewish community on behalf of the E...

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover and the fall of Kabul. In this episode, Lucinda and CEP Senior Director Hans-Jakob Schindler discuss the past, present and future of Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover, women's rights, and EU recommendations. From 2001 until 2005, Hans headed the federal government of Germany's team investigating al-Qaida in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia. Between 2005 and 2011, Hans held the position of First Secretary Political Affairs and...

What are some of the key factors contributing to the rise of antisemitism in France? How is the dynamic between the Jewish and Muslim communities in Toulouse, and what efforts have been made to address and bridge these divides? Why are Jews leaving France and does that have an impact on the Jewish community and the broader society? In today’s fifth episode of CEP’s Eye on Antisemitism series, Lucinda explores the resurgence of antisemitism in France with Deputy Mayor Nicole Yardeni from Toulo...

In today's fourth episode of CEP's Eye on Antisemitism series, Lucinda speaks with Fiyaz Mughal about antisemitism among native-born immigrant communities in the United Kingdom. They discuss Fiyaz's work in the field of preventing extremism and working towards racial equality and Fiyaz shares his expert insights into how to create meaningful connections between Muslim and Jewish communities. Fiyaz is the founder of Faith Matters and Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks), focusing on soci...

In today’s third episode of CEP’s Eye on Antisemitism series, Lucinda will delve into how antisemitism manifests among right-wing extremists in Germany with guest Marina Chernivsky. How does the growth of right-wing political movements in Germany influence the prevalence of antisemitic sentiments? Are there any connections between antisemitism and broader issues like nationalism, xenophobia, or Islamophobia? What kind of support or resources do mental health professionals need to effectively ...

In today's second episode of the Eye on Antisemitism, Lucinda delves into the complex issue of antisemitism among the left-wing extremists in the United Kingdom (UK), specifically looking at the UK political landscape. How has the Labour Party, which is historically associated with left-wing politics in the UK, addressed or failed to address the issue of left-wing antisemitism within its ranks? And how does it affect Jewish communities, both in terms of their safety and sense of belonging? Wh...

How is antisemitism defined? What is the current state of antisemitism in Europe and the United States (U.S.)? How have recent global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the popularity of antisemitic conspiracy theories among extremists? The first podcast episode in our new series on antisemitism will provide our listeners with a deeper understanding of antisemitism and current trends on both sides of the Atlantic. With the threat landscape indicating that antisemitic incide...

In today’s episode, Lucinda is joined by CEP Senior Advisor Alexander Ritzmann. He leads the work of CEP Berlin on violent far-right extremist or terrorist (transnational) networks, both offline and online. Together they take a closer look at a recently published CEP study, titled Transnational linkages between violent right-wing extremism, terrorism and organized crime, of which the main author is Alexander. About the study: Existing studies on the extremism/terrorism-crime nexus in ...

In today’s episode, Lucinda speaks with Liam Duffy, CEP Strategic Advisor. They discuss the findings of the recent Manchester Arena Inquiry, which is the third - and final - report of the inquiry. Chaired by Sir John Saunders, this report focuses on radicalisation and preventability. Liam sheds some light on what the inquiry is all about, the tragedy that occurred back in 2017 in Manchester, the radicalisation process of the perpetrator Salman Abedi and - most importantly - whether the attack...

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in cases that raise questions about liability shields afforded to tech companies under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. In this breaking news episode, Lucinda speaks with Dr. Hany Farid, Senior Advisor to CEP and professor at University of California, Berkley. Hany is CEP's in-house expert when it comes to digital forensics. Together, Lucinda and Hany take a closer look at one of the cases, Gonzalez v. Google, an...

Last Wednesday, the long-awaited Prevent review was published by the Home Office. Led by William Shawcross, who was appointed Independent Reviewer of Prevent in 2021, the review sets out to understand how effectively this strand of the government’s counterterrorism strategy works and how it can be improved. But what is Prevent? Why was it created and why was last week's review commissioned in the first place ? What are the key takeaways from Shawcross' review and will Prevent make Brit...

In today's episode of our series on the 4R Network, Lucinda speaks to two former extremists, Ryan Lo’Ree and Bryant Vinas. Ryan was once a right-wing extremist with one of the largest Nazi movements in the United States. After being confined, Ryan went through a process of transformation that focused on healing from trauma. As part of his healing and deradicalization, Ryan created the Team Revelation Mixed Martial Arts, a program utilized to prevent troubled youth from entering gang an...

In today's episode of our series on the 4R Network, Lucinda talks to Mitch Silber. He is the executive director of the Community Security Initiative, visiting lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the author of the book The Al Qaeda Factor & Radicalization in the West. Mr. Silber’s CV is extensive, ranging from more than 20 years of experience in providing high-end finished intelligence, bespoke consulting and advisory work for a wide range of c...

In today's episode of our series on the 4R Network, Lucinda speaks with social neuroscientist Mike Niconchuk and Noah Tucker, consultant for CEP’s Rehabilitation & Reintegration project in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. As an applied neuroscience researcher and practitioner, Mike Niconchuk focuses on trauma recovery in conflict-affected populations, and the relationship between trauma, extremism, intergroup violence. Noah Tucker is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Research ...

In today's episode of our series on the 4R Network, Lucinda talks to Dr. Vivian Khedari DePierro. She is the Chief Psychologist & Director of Research at Beyond Conflict, who also happen to be our partners in this 4R Network endeavour. As a Clinical Psychologist, Vivian focuses on the development and evaluation of accessible and culturally-tailored approaches to trauma recovery among communities affected by violence and conflict across the globe. In today’s episode of our series on the 4R...

In today's episode of our series on the 4R Network, Lucinda speaks to co-authors of Pastels and Pedophiles: Inside the Mind of Qanon Dr. Sophia Moskalenko and Dr. Mia Bloom. Sophia is a psychologist studying mass identity, inter-group conflict, and conspiracy theories. She has written several books, including the award-winning Friction: How Conflict Radicalizes Them and Us. Mia is a fellow with New America's International Security program and professor of communication and Middle East studies...