Government Media and Communication Unit
As the activities marking the International Day for Countering Violent Extremism draw to a close, and in implementation of the directives of University of Baghdad, and upon the instruction of Pro. Dr. Saad Ubaid Alwan, Director of the Center, the Center for Strategic and International Studies at the University of Baghdad organized a specialized scientific symposium entitled: “The Historical, Intellectual, and Political Dimensions of Countering Violent Extremism: The United States as a Model.”
The symposium was chaired by Assistant Lecturer Dr. Ali Abdulmutalib and featured the participation of a distinguished group of the Center’s researchers:
Assistant Professor Dr. Ahmed Abdulwahed Abdulnabi
Dr. Iman Jawad Abdul-Kadhim
Assistant Lecturer Hussein Salah Mahdi
The participating researchers examined a range of factors that have collectively contributed to driving individuals toward violent extremism in the United States, particularly social and political dynamics such as intense partisan polarization and hostile political discourse, both of which may act as catalysts for violence.
The researchers further emphasized that violent extremism in the United States is not a coincidental phenomenon, but rather the result of the interaction of multiple factors, most notably:
- The influence of hostile political discourse in stimulating societal violence.
- The role of digital platforms in disseminating extremist ideologies beyond traditional organizational frameworks.
- The transformation from racial hatred to conspiracy theories that legitimize violence as an instrument of change.
This symposium represents the culmination of a series of activities launched by the Center over recent days, including awareness poster exhibitions as well as workshops and intensive discussion sessions. These activities sought to analyze the phenomenon of extremism from diverse academic and strategic perspectives, in preparation for the Center’s concluding activity on this issue.
