The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence

The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR) is a London-based organisation formed in 2007 with the aim of challenging the growth of radicalisation and political violence, such as terrorism. The organisation aims to do so by bringing together academics, politicians and businesspeople through shared research projects, workshops and conferences. With the overall goal of providing intellectual tools that can be directly applied to policymakers dealing with radicalisation, the organisation prioritises the production of impact-driven research directly applicable to policymakers and professionals.cite web | author=ICSR Team |url=http://www.icsr.info |publisher="ICSR" |title=Home | accessdate=2008-06-15]

Though based in London and affiliated with King's College London's War Studies department, ICSR is an equal partnership between King's College London, the University of Pennsylvania, the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (Israel) and the Regional Centre for Conflict Prevention in Jordan.

ICSR is independent and non-partisan. All its work is published, and no classified work for any government or international agency will be undertaken.

What is ICSR

The mission of ICSR is to challenge and counter the growth of radicalisation and political violence.

ICSR projects and initiatives are geared towards impact. Its research deals with issues identified as pressing by professionals and policy makers. Where appropriate, ICSR makes itself available for advice and consultation in the process of implementation.

ICSR also aims to improve public policy on terrorism and political violence by providing intellectual tools to address the issue from multiple perspectives. ICSR also facilitates systematic, outcome-driven dialogues involving senior policy makers and stakeholders from different national, religious and political backgrounds.

ICSR's Role in Public Debates

ICSR policy describes problems associated with radicalisation and political violence as inherently complex, and advocates for the importance of public discussion in order to stimulate debate and understanding of these issues. ICSR's role in this debate is to facilitate the search for solutions by informing decision-makers and the general public as well as providing a forum for new and innovative ideas.

ICSR frequently organises events and publishes short papers on timely questions and controversies in the field of radicalisation, with the objective of developing solutions amongst policy makers and other experts.

Finding solutions

ICSR has emphasised a core policy of avoiding the conducting of research and analysis for its own sake. All the organisation's efforts are aimed at finding intelligent and applicable solutions to help counter the growth of radicalisation and political violence. In doing so, ICSR draws on the vast intellectual capacity of four of the world's leading institutions dealing with the challenge of radicalisation and political violence. The analysis focuses on practical recommendations and takes into account the pressures and dilemmas faced by policy makers.

ICSR engages with relevant stakeholders at every step of the research process, constantly refining the organisation's approaches in order to provide the best possible solutions.

The research conducted by ICSR are conceived with the needs of the end users in mind. The timeframe of most ICSR projects is less than 12 months, so that the advice can help solve ongoing and time-sensitive problems.

Who is ICSR?

ICSR brings together several leading authorities in the areas of radicalisation and political violence:

Prof. Sir Lawrence Freedman, Vice- Principal (Research) of King's College London

Dr. Boaz Ganor, Executive Director of the International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya

Yasar Qatarneh, Director of the Regional Center on the Conflict Prevention at the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy, Amman

Dr. Harvey Rubin, Director of the Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response at the University of Pennsylvania

The Director of ICSR is Dr. Peter R. Neumann, who works with a team of fellows and staff at the organisation's London headquarters.

The Founder and Chairman of ICSR is Henry Sweetbaum.

References

External links

* http://www.icsr.info/about/projects
* https://www.idc.ac.il/eng/default.asp
* http://www.upenn.edu/
* http://www.rccp-jid.org/
* http://www.kcl.ac.uk