Papers by Anne-Marie Balbi
Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 2015
The current state of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Australia and other Western nations is... more The current state of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Australia and other Western nations is characterised by definitional dilemmas around its relationship to the concepts and practice of counterterrorism (CT) and security. While attempts have been made to engage the civil society sector in CVE through programmes that provide funding for community groups, these attempts have largely been focused on empowering Muslim communities in Australia and the promotion of social harmony between these communities and the broader Australian community. Such programmes certainly have a place within all multicultural, multifaith societies, but the conflation of social harmony with security and protection from terrorism has had a counter effect resulting in the securitisation of diaspora Muslim communities. In order to efficiently target the root causes of violent extremism (VE) a reconceptualisation of the paradigm constituting CVE is required. Such a paradigm should be detached from the traditional focus on CT and apply a multidisciplinary and multi-layered approach that engages the voices of unorthodox stakeholders such as formers and victims alongside those of policy-makers and law enforcement. Using a theoretical framework based on "smart power", this article argues that one way to achieve a more diffuse and broader approach to CVE is by incorporating grassroots citizen driven initiatives in the formulation of policy-driven CVE.
Emerging Scholars, Australian Institute of International Affairs, 2012
State-sponsored terrorism -
Iran-US bilateral relations over the last two decades have been d... more State-sponsored terrorism -
Iran-US bilateral relations over the last two decades have been defined by Iran’s nuclear power ambitions and the Iranian government’s disinclination to co-operate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This single-minded focus on the nuclear threat issue has overshadowed the analysis of Iran’s strategic ambitions at the regional level. This chapter examines the complex relations between the United States and Iran in the context of the ongoing insurgency in Iraq in order to comprehend Iran’s strategic interests in the Middle East. Iran has played a role in the ongoing Iraqi insurgency through infiltrating Iraqi and Turkish Kurd groups, supporting the Iraqi Shi’a and tolerating al- Qaeda in Iraq. Iran’s use of state-sponsored terrorism fits with nationalist and imperial objectives and helps reveal Iran’s strategic objectives in the Middle East.
Rethinking countering violent extremism: implementing the role of civil society
Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 2015
The current state of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Australia and other Western nations is... more The current state of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Australia and other Western nations is characterised by definitional dilemmas around its relationship to the concepts and practice of counterterrorism (CT) and security. While attempts have been made to engage the civil society sector in CVE through programmes that provide funding for community groups, these attempts have largely been focused on empowering Muslim communities in Australia and the promotion of social harmony between these communities and the broader Australian community. Such programmes certainly have a place within all multicultural, multifaith societies, but the conflation of social harmony with security and protection from terrorism has had a counter effect resulting in the securitisation of diaspora Muslim communities. In order to efficiently target the root causes of violent extremism (VE) a reconceptualisation of the paradigm constituting CVE is required. Such a paradigm should be detached from the traditional focus on CT and apply a multidisciplinary and multi-layered approach that engages the voices of unorthodox stakeholders such as formers and victims alongside those of policy-makers and law enforcement. Using a theoretical framework based on “smart power”, this article argues that one way to achieve a more diffuse and broader approach to CVE is by incorporating grassroots citizen driven initiatives in the formulation of policy-driven CVE. Keywords: civil society; countering violent extremism; smart power
Analytical thought-pieces by Anne-Marie Balbi
Time to put the foot down on Putin
The Lowy Interpreter, 2016
The Influence of Non-State Actors on Global Politics
Australian Outlook, Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), 2016
Leading story on AIIA Australian Outlook May 2017 - Oct 2017
CVE: the 'reinvent the wheel' research field
Lowy Interpreter, 2018
Sweden unites in wake of terror attack
Lowy Interpreter, 2017
Trump's terror discourse makes it harder to counter violent extremism
The Strategist, Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), 2017
Analysis of Trump's terror discourse and its detrimental effect on CVE
The Paris Attacks: Why it's time we saved generation K from living in the hunger games
New Matilda, 2015
Analysis of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks
Missing in action: Persuasive counter-narratives and reasoned discourse
Lowy Interpreter, 2016
Double tragedy: When mass shootings diminish our humanity
Lowy Interpreter, 2016
Books by Anne-Marie Balbi
In the aftermath of terrorism: the structural challenges for incorporating victims' voices
Routledge - Contemporary Terrorism Studies series, 2018
While terrorist groups have access to various media platforms to convey and spread their narrativ... more While terrorist groups have access to various media platforms to convey and spread their narratives, the voices of the victims and victim’s groups are often silenced. Following the Charlie Hebdo attacks victim’s voices went unnoticed amidst the ensuing public debate on religion and secularisation. There has been little scholarly research and focus on the role of victim’s voices in the construction of counter-narratives. In an effort to circumvent state-centric approaches and instead explore more genuine societal approaches, this paper will explore how counter-narratives are expressed through community driven acts of resistance to terrorism in the specific context of the terrorist attack sites in Bali and Oslo/Utøya. It applies a theoretical framework defining terrorism as ‘communication’, identifying terrorism as a narrative and counter-terrorism as a counter-narrative. In this sense, it is vital to identify and discuss any current structural challenges impeding the constructive use and implementation of victim’s voices in counter-narratives and counter-terrorism strategies, particularly at a time when the international community is grappling with how to counter the narrative of the violent Islamic extremists in an on-going battle for hearts and minds.
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Papers by Anne-Marie Balbi
Iran-US bilateral relations over the last two decades have been defined by Iran’s nuclear power ambitions and the Iranian government’s disinclination to co-operate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This single-minded focus on the nuclear threat issue has overshadowed the analysis of Iran’s strategic ambitions at the regional level. This chapter examines the complex relations between the United States and Iran in the context of the ongoing insurgency in Iraq in order to comprehend Iran’s strategic interests in the Middle East. Iran has played a role in the ongoing Iraqi insurgency through infiltrating Iraqi and Turkish Kurd groups, supporting the Iraqi Shi’a and tolerating al- Qaeda in Iraq. Iran’s use of state-sponsored terrorism fits with nationalist and imperial objectives and helps reveal Iran’s strategic objectives in the Middle East.
Analytical thought-pieces by Anne-Marie Balbi
Books by Anne-Marie Balbi