Here’s a link to an Op-Ed that I wrote last week for The Globe Post:

Ignoring Domestic, Homegrown Terrorism is Choice that Benefits Few

Here’s a link to a November 2017 podcast interview I did with the TERC Director John Morrison:

Talking Terror interview: James Forest, November 2017

For those encountering difficulties accessing the December 2017 issue of Perspectives on Terrorism on the main server, here’s an alternate link to download the full PDF version: http://bit.ly/2pb2K3r 

Here’s a long list provided by ASC of journals in criminology,  criminal justice, security, law and other related topics. Many non-U.S. ones are listed here as well (e.g., Europe, Canada, Australia, UK).

https://www.asc41.com/links/journals.html

Last weekend I was invited to give an hour-long talk about terrorism and radicalization to about 600 people at an event in New York City. The audience seemed honestly interested in what I had to say about the research in this field. I showed them some Powerpoint slides with research-based insights on radicalization, told some corny jokes, and concluded with some comments about community resilience and the fact that while many of the ideologies that fuel terrorism have a deep history, terrorist groups do eventually meet their demise.

But then afterwards, during the open question & answer period, it was my turn to learn from them. The questions they asked provided me with a lot of insight about how the general public views the threat of terrorism and what should be done about it.

» Continue reading “Reflections on Fear of Terrorism”

Here’s some information about my most recent book, Essentials of Counterterrorism.

The primary goal of this book is to help educate future counterterrorism professionals enrolled in university courses and training programs. Contributors to the book have sought to minimize the use of jargon or convoluted theories, and instead focus on plain language and lessons we should learn from the rich, scholarly literature in the study of terrorism and counterterrorism.

» Continue reading “Essentials of Counterterrorism: Exam copies available”

by James Forest

Revised February 28, 2017
(originally posted February 11, 2017)

How does an effective system of security work in the real world, beyond political and media punditry? Ask a professional in law enforcement, military or the intelligence community and you’ll hear an overwhelmingly common response:  security is built and maintained on relationships of trust, at every level. Healthy, trusted community and police relationships are key to maintaining peace and order, and for intelligence gathering on crime and security threats. Trust is critical for interagency cooperation and information sharing between local, state and federal agencies. At the national level, the different agencies and branches of government must trust each other implicitly in order to work together toward the overall common objective of ensuring security for the the nation and its interests. And at the international level, trusted relationships are vital for military cooperation, intelligence sharing, cross-national crime and terror investigations, diplomacy, economic security, energy security, cybersecurity, and so much more. These are all components of an effective security system for any country.

» Continue reading “Trust, Travel Bans and Homeland Security”

Based on the historical record and current threat analysis of available evidence, some projections can be made about the next major terrorist attack in the U.S.

» Continue reading “Predicting the Next Terrorist Attack in the U.S.”

Much as I’ve wanted to avoid this debate about Islamophobia and current members of the presidential administration, as a research and educator in terrorism studies there are some things I need to point out.

1). Islamist extremists have been blowing up themselves and others in dozens of countries for the last half century, including our own. Nobody I know or care about is trying to minimize this reality. That said, mis-diagnosing the nature of this threat as one that applies throughout all of Islam – and formulating polices based on false perceptions – is dangerous and ill-advised. Criticisms of those misperceptions are not “libtard apologists for Islam” or any such nonsense. Many experts in security studies and counterterrorism have been pushing back against the Islamophibic primarily because they want to see a more effective counterterrorism approach, one based on evidence and thorough intelligence analysis rather than fear and hysteria.

» Continue reading “Clarification about the Links between Islam and Terrorism”

Great new issue of Perspectives on Terrorism is now online, focused on Jihadi terrorism in Europe. Click here:  http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/issue/view/61