This is a time for deep reflection on the causes and possible outcomes of the rise of religious extremism. That is what I will undertake in this article. More will follow in the weeks and months ahead. My purpose is to build a strong case for the adoption of a different approach from the one the European nations seem inclined to follow as a result of a series of acts of violence that shook France in 2015 and continue to hurt Russia.
The rise of the Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, has brought to the surface a number of underlying forces in the world of Islam. This particular group, as well as some of its predecessors, is not necessarily fighting the West. Its campaign should not be interpreted in Huntingtonian terms.
Strategic Perspectives Through Research and Dialogue
