Newswise — Georgia State University's Transcultural Conflict and Violence Initiative (TCV) and Global Studies Institute (GSI) in Atlanta have researchers available to discuss the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, monitoring ISIS' social media, its PR apparatus, recruiting of children into its ranks as soldiers, women and terrorism, and more.

Contact information is available in the box above for logged-in users of the Newswise system. Please contact researchers directly for interview availability.

Researchers with TCV and GSI, are involved in numerous projects to investigate the causes of violence and terrorism, and potential solutions to conflict and violence.

Researchers of TCV and GSI, who investigate and monitor ISIS communications, propaganda, rhetoric, and activities, include:

Mia Bloom, professor of communication and TCV researcher, is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations who conducts ethnographic field research in Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. She and fellow professor John Horgan at Georgia State are the authors of the forthcoming book, “Small Arms: Children and Terror” (2016, Cornell University Press), and is also the author of “Bombshell: Women and Terror,” “Living Together After Ethnic Killing,” and “Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror.” A speaker of eight languages, she is regularly interviewed by national and international media regarding terrorism and national security issues.

John Horgan, a professor of global studies and psychology, is an applied psychologist by training and member of GSI collaborating with TCV. His research focuses on terrorism and political violence, and is the author of “The Psychology of Terrorism,” “Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland’s Dissident Terrorists,” “Walking Away from Terrorism,” “Leaving Terrorism Behind,” and “Terrorism Studies: A Reader.” The editor of Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict, he is a member of the Research Working Group of the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime. His research has been covered in numerous national and international media.

Anthony Lemieux is the associate director of the GSI and associate professor of communication, and a lead researcher in TCV. An investigator with the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), he explores and monitors the publications and other media produced by ISIS — which has a well-planned public relations apparatus. Lemieux has authored more than 40 articles and reports on topics including the relationship between music and violence, social and political motivations for violence, terrorist propaganda, and health behavior change. He is currently an investigator on a project sponsored by the the U.S. Department of Defense to explore media content from ISIS and other terrorist groups, looking to build a body of knowledge that can help the U.S. and the international community to tackle and counter terrorist groups’ propaganda.

Charlie Winter is a senior research associate in the Department of Communication and a TCV researcher. He constantly monitors social media by ISIS, and is working to qualitatively and qualitatively assess ISIS’ outreach strategy, using the sourcing, translation, and analysis of Arabic-language documents circulated online by jihadists. A former researcher with the Quilliam Foundation, his Documenting the Virtual ‘Caliphate’ paper shows the extent to which ISIS uses online methods to communicate its messages, and what messages it is communicating. The paper also documents how ISIS uses public relations and public relations strategies to position itself as a legitimate government.

Additional TCV and GSI researchers are also listed at http://tcv.gsu.edu/faculty/ and http://gsi.gsu.edu/profile/.

The TCV is a research cluster started as part of Georgia State’s Second Century Initiative, to build strength and critical mass around important, impactful research issues across disciplines and departments. The departments include Communication, Computer Science, English, and Religious Studies, as well as the Middle East Institute. For more about TCV, visit http://tcv.gsu.edu.

The GSI is dedicated to tackle international problems and opportunities through research, academic programs, outreach activities and international centers. Research includes violence and terrorism (in cooperation with TCV), conflict and post-conflict reconciliation, peace-building, divided democracies, human rights and issues facing global cities. For more about GSI, visit http://gsi.gsu.edu/.