Bart Schuurman appointed Professor of Terrorism and Political Violence
Terrorism expert Bart Schuurman has been appointed professor at Leiden University. As a researcher and lecturer at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA), he has witnessed the terrorist threat evolve and broaden. 'How can we explain these shifts and protect our society against them? That is what I want to focus on more,' he says.
'I am proud and very pleased with my appointment, though I still need to get used to it. I've worked hard, but at the same time, I owe a lot to my colleagues and the opportunities I've had,' says the newly-appointed professor.
In 2011, Bart began as a researcher focusing on jihadism. In recent years, however, he has observed a shift in the forms that terrorism has taken. 'The extremist threat has become much broader than just jihadism. Now, we are also concerned about right-wing and anti-government extremism, not to mention the increasingly reckless acts of political violence in Europe attributed to Russia and linked to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.'
Rise of right-wing extremism
Bart explains that jihadism appears to remain the primary source of terrorist attacks for the time being. ‘The threat of jihadist terrorism in countries like the Netherlands is largely driven by international developments; it peaked after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011 and it appears that the current war in Gaza may also have a catalysing influence. However, what has also been increasing in recent years is right-wing extremism. This, too, leads to attacks, such as the 2019 attack on two mosques in New Zealand (51 fatalities, ed.). The violent aspect is clearly present, but the broader movement underlying it may be even more troubling.'
'Terrorism is ultimately just one possible manifestation of an extreme belief system. If enough people are willing to vote for parties intent on dismantling democratic institutions, that poses a greater problem than terrorism. In the Netherlands, this phenomenon is still relatively limited, although there is a shift towards populist right-wing politics. The issue is more acute in countries like neighbouring Germany, where the far-right party AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) has seen recent electoral successes. Germany's own domestic security services have identified the AfD as potentially right-wing extremist, which is quite telling.'
New category: anti-government extremists
In addition to jihadists and right-wing extremists, Bart identifies a new, more ambiguous category: anti-government extremists. 'Their ideological viewpoint is often harder to pinpoint. These are individuals who hold the government responsible for – in their eyes – gross failures on issues such as immigration. This extends far beyond legitimate criticism of government actions. It is considered extremism because this movement propagates conspiracies in which governments are claimed to be beholden to "malicious elites" supposedly working to destroy the country. In the Netherlands, the threat of violence from this movement is still relatively low, but recent arrests and examples from countries like the US show that the potential – in certain circles – is definitely there.'
State terrorism by Russia
An even greater potential threat lies in sabotage and terrorist attacks orchestrated by states. 'This has recently become alarmingly visible,' Bart says. 'Russia has frequently engaged in or prepared acts of sabotage within the EU in an effort to undermine our support for Ukraine. Particularly shocking are the recent examples of explosive parcels sent to DHL depots in Germany and the UK. If those packages had detonated mid-air, the consequences would have been catastrophic, amounting to state terrorism. My colleagues and I are now mapping this threat – what form does it take, and which people or countries are being targeted? We aim to inform the public about this. Ultimately, these are issues of great concern to all of us.'
Personal interest
Bart is particularly interested in understanding what drives people to radicalise and, in some cases, commit terrorist attacks. 'In recent years, I've studied individuals who hold extreme views but do not resort to terrorist violence. Around 99% of radicalised individuals do not engage in terrorism. Why is that? This question is particularly relevant now because, in the West, we currently see the lowest number of terrorist attacks in years, yet there is growing concern about increasing extremist ideologies.'
How can we explain this discrepancy? Bart offers a possible explanation: 'Within some extremist movements, there seems to be a belief that they can influence the democratic system from within, reducing the need to engage in high-risk violence.' He arrived at this conclusion after researching Germany's neo-Nazi scene. 'They openly fantasise about what they would do once in power. The willingness to commit violence is still present, but the execution is deferred. Moving forward, I aim to focus less narrowly on terrorism alone and more on the various forms through which the underlying extremist ideologies manifest.'
Keep a finger on society
'We must continue to strive as researchers to stay attuned to what is happening outside the university walls. We need to maintain a constant pulse on the current issues surrounding extremism, terrorism, and radicalisation. Are our research and teaching still aligned with these challenges? We want to equip students with the knowledge to address these pressing issues because, as a society, we will rely on them in the years ahead to help tackle these problems.'
Text: Magali van Wieren