Radicalisation in Southeast Asia: What we can learn from the region

Hezbollah is one of the most powerful and complex militant organisations in the world today - operating simultaneously as a political party, armed militia, and social movement. But how did the group evolve, how does it maintain influence today and what impact has the October 7th attack had on the group? In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by American political scientist and leading expert on Hezbollah, Matthew Levitt. Together, they explore the group’s ideological origins, its ...

Youth radicalisation is changing. Young people today are increasingly being drawn into extremist movements through online platforms, social networks, and gaming environments. But these pathways look very different from previous generations, shaped by technology, social dynamics, and evolving ideologies. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Jacob Ware, research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service...

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have long been a weapon of choice for terrorist organisations. They’re cheap, adaptable, and devastatingly effective. But as technology evolves, so too do the tactics and tools used to build and deploy these weapons. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Austin Doctor, political scientist, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, an...

As political uncertainty continues to rise across Europe, increasing polarisation is creating a breeding ground for radicalisation. More than ever, extremist groups are exploiting online platforms and social networks - using them as virtual planning hubs, spaces to share extremist propaganda and recruit young people. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Nicolas Stockhammer, a political scientist and Director of the Research Cluster "Counter-Terrorism, CVE and Intelligence"...

Founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda is best known for orchestrating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people. But what kind of threat does the violent Islamist organisation pose in 2025? In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British diplomat and former Coordinator of the United Nations’ Monitoring Team, and an expert on Al-Qaeda. Edmund shares unique insights into Al-Qaeda’s curre...