Brynjar Lia

Professor - Midtøstenstudier

English version of this page

E-post brynjar.lia@ikos.uio.no

Telefon +47 22857191

Brukernavn

Besøksadresse Niels Henrik Abels vei 36 P. A. Munchs hus 0371 Oslo

Postadresse Postboks 1010 Blindern 0315 Oslo

Last ned visittkort

Faglige interesser

Jeg er utdannet historiker med støttefagene arabisk, russisk og midtøstenstudier. Siden slutten av 1990-tallet har mine forskningsinteresser hovedsakelig omfattet jihadisme og militante islamistbevegelser. Jeg har også forsket på islamisme i Egypt og palestinsk politikk og statsbygging. Forskningen min er utpreget empirisk og kildenær.

De siste årene har jeg forsket på jihadistbevegelsens syn på stat og territorier, og har bl a deltatt i et NFR-prosjekt om opprørskontrollerte områder (rebel governance) i Midtøsten. Et resultat av dette arbeidet var et spesialnummer (der jeg var medredaktør) i Third World Thematics om opprørsstyre og slektskapsorganisasjoner i Midtøsten og Afrika. Jeg har også vært medredaktør på et spesialnummer i Die Welt des Islams om patriarki i Midtøsten og i Religions om moderne islamistbevegelser i Midtøsten. Samfunnsrelevansen av forskningen min på ekstrem islamisme er blitt fremhevet av HFs og UiOs ledelse.

Siden 2015 har jeg også begynt å interessere meg for fremveksten av fornybar energiutnyttelse i Midtøsten, og jeg leder et forskningsinitiativ om grønn energiomlegging i Midtøsten (GreenMENA & Oil-in-Transition) med finansiering fra UiO:Energi.

Jeg har deltatt i flere forskningsnettverk på IKOS, herunder "The New Middle East Project (NewME)", et forskermiljø som fremhevet i NFRs sin HUMEVAL-rapport som en av sju "especially highperforming and world-leading groups" (s.35) i norsk humanioraforskning.

Utenfor IKOS har jeg en professor II-stilling ved det internasjonalt anerkjente forskningsmiljøet på jihadisme- og terrorismeforskning ved Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt (FFI).

Undervisning og veiledning

Jeg har flere år undervist emner på masterstudiet Middle East Studies, herunder, emnene: "Jihadist insurgencies and proto-states in the contemporary MENA region". og emnet "GreenMENA". Sistnevnte tar for seg utfordringer knyttet til klimaendringer og miljø i Midtøsten. Studenter fra andre MA-programmer ved UiO er velkomne på disse emnene.

Jeg underviser/har undervist også på flere bachelor- og mastergradsemner:

Jeg har veiledet seks doktorgradsstudenter frem til fullendt disputas. Nå veileder jeg to stipendiater på IKOS' doktorgradsprogram (Gråtrud og Skretting), begge tilsatt ved FFI.

Utdanning og bakgrunn

Jeg ble fast ansatt ved IKOS som førsteamanuensis i midtøstenstudier i januar 2014 og fikk professoropprykk våren 2015.

Jeg har en Cand.Philol.-grad i historie og en Dr.Philos.(PhD) grad fra Universitetet i Oslo. Temaet for min doktorgradsavhandling var de palestinske selvstyremyndighetene og bestrebelsene på å bygge opp en palestinsk politistyrke. Avhandlingen ble senere publisert som to bøker. Min Cand.Philol.-avhandling fra 1996 omhandlet Det egyptiske muslimske brorskapet, basert på feltarbeid og omfattende arkivstudier i Kairo, med et toårig stipend fra Forskningsrådet. Avhandlingen ble senere publisert som bok på forlaget Ithaca Press og har blitt oversatt til tyrkisk og persisk.

Fra 1996 til 2013 var jeg forsker (inkl. prosjektleder og forskningsleder) ved Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt (FFI) hvor jeg etablerte og utviklet et større forskningsprogram om terrorisme- og jihadismestudier.

I perioden 2001-2 var jeg Visiting Fulbright Scholar ved Harvard University. I 1999-2000 og i 2012-3 arbeidet jeg deltid som timelærer i Midtøstenstudier ved UiO.

Verv

Leder for Senter for islam- og midtøstenstudier ved IKOS (2014-16)
Faggruppeansvarlig (FGA) for Midtøstenstudier ved IKOS (2016-2020).
Medlem av Redaksjonsrådet i Babylon: Nordisk tidsskrift for midtøstenstudier (2018 -)
Styrerepresentant i Nordic Society for Middle Eastern Studies (2018-19).
Vara-representant i PRIO sitt styre (2020-22).

Priser og stipender

FFIs publikasjonspris i 2005, 2011 and 2015.
Fulbright Visiting Scholar Fellowship, 2001-2002.
Norges allmennvitenskaplige forskningsråd/Norsk forskningsråds sommer- og studiestipender for 1991, 1992, 1993-95.
Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship for 1993-95.

Bibliometrics

Emneord: Midtøsten, Islamisme, Jihadisme, SIMS

— "Religiøs autoritet blant militante islamistar. Tilfellet mulla Krekar." Babylon: Nordisk tidsskrift for midtøstenstudier 22, nr. 1 (2024): 46-62.

— "Al-Qaʿida Revisited." Bustan: The Middle East Book Review 14, no. 1 (July 2023): 17–34.

— With Dag Tuastad & Erling Lorentzen Sogge. "Rebel governance and kinship groups in the Middle East and Africa." Introduction to Special Issue in Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal 6, no. 1-3 (2021): 1-11.
— "The Islamic State’s Tribal Policies in Syria and Iraq." Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal 6, no. 1-3 (2021): 32-51.
— With Mathilde Becker Aarseth. "Crusader Hirelings or Loyal Subjects? Evolving Jihadist Perspectives on Christian Minorities in the Middle East." Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations 33, no. 3 (2022): 255-288.
— "A Kurdish al-Qaida? Making Sense of the Ansar al-Islam Movement in Iraqi Kurdistan in the Early 2000s." Religions: Special Issue on Islamist Movements in the Middle East 13, no. 3 (2022): 203.
— With Neil Ketchley & Steven Brooke. "Who supported the early Muslim Brotherhood?" Politics and Religion 15, no. 2 (2022): 388-416.
— "Hasan al-Banna et la fondation des Frères musulmans." In Histoire des mobilisations islamistes (XIXe-XXIe siècles), sous la direction de François Burgat & Matthieu Rey. 93-106. Paris: CNRS, 2022.
— “Muhajirat-fenomenet: Hvordan ble kvinner fra Europa rekruttert til ISIL, og hva var deres rolle i Kalifatet?” Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift 36, nr. 2 (2019): 100-114. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-3053-2019-02-02.
— "Islamistisk ekstremisme - en innføring." In Radikalisering: fenomen og forebygging, edited by Ellen Reiss and Linda Noor. 93-103. Oslo: Minotenk / Frekk forlag, 2018.
— “The Jihādī Movement and Rebel Governance: A Reassertion of a Patriarchal Order?” Die Welt des Islams 57, no.3-4 (2017): 458-479. doi:10.1163/15700607-05734p09.
— With Rania Maktabi. “Middle Eastern Patriarchy in Transition.” Introduction to special issue of Die Welt des Islams 57, no.3-4 (2017): 265-277.
— "Fanatismens seier? Jihadismens frammarsj i den arabiske verden". Babylon: Nordisk tidsskrift for midtøstenstudier 15, no.2 (2016): 60-85.
— "لماذا تضخمت السلفية الجهادية بعد 2011 ؟", Middle East Policy (Winter 2016). Arabic translation by Iyad Suwid, Research Service Group.
— "Jihadism in the Arab World after 2011: Explaining its Expansion", Middle East Policy 23, no.4 (2016): 74-91.
— With P Nesser. "Jihadism in Norway: a Typology of Militant Networks in a Peripheral European Country". Perspectives on Terrorism 10, no.6 (2016): 121-134.
— "En undersøgelse af islamistiske statsdannelsesforsøg". In: Splittelsen i global jihad: Kampen mellem IS og al-Qaeda. Redigert av Manni Crone. 30-43. København: Dansk Institut for Internationale Studier (DIIS), 2016.
— "The Islamist Uprising in Syria, 1976-82: The History and Legacy of a Failed Revolt". British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 43, no.4 (2016): 541-559.
— "Autobiography or Fiction? Ḥasan al-Bannā’s Memoirs Revisited". Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 15 (2015): 199-226.
— "Understanding Jihadi Proto-States". Perspectives on Terrorism: Special Issue on the Islamic State 9, no.4 (2015): 31-41.
— "Korsfarernes medløpere eller lydige undersåtter? Jihadistbevegelsens syn på kristne minoriteter i Midtøsten". In De kristne i Midtøsten: kampen for tilhørighet, edited by Berit Thorbjørnsrud. 193-213. Oslo: Cappelen Damm, 2015.
"غلاة النظريين المدمرين : نقد أبي مصعب السوري للسلفيين في التيار الجهادي." In السلفية العالمية: الحركات السلفية المعاصرة في عالم متغير, edited by Roel Meijer. 393-419. Beirut: Arab Network for Research and Publishing, 2014.
— "Jihadbevegelsen i den arabiske verden før og etter 2011″. Babylon: Nordisk tidsskrift for midtøstenstudier 12, no.2 (2014): 8-22.
— With P Nesser. "Norske muslimske fremmedkrigere". Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift 31, no.4 (2014): 399-416.
— With P Nesser & Anne Stenersen. "Ekstremisme i sosiale medier: En oversikt over forskning, internasjonale trender og implikasjoner for norske forhold". In Forebygging av radikalisering og voldelig ekstremisme på internett, edited by Inger Marie Sunde. 80-104. Oslo: Politihøyskolen, PHS Forskningsrapport No 2013:1.
— "Profetens Ummah og sosiale medier". In Forebygging av radikalisering og voldelig ekstremisme på internett, edited by Inger Marie Sunde. 105-112. Oslo: Politihøyskolen, PHS Forskningsrapport No 2013:1.
— Müslüman Kardeşlerin doğuşu 1928-1942. ["The Society of the Muslim Brothers"] Translated by İhsan Toker. Istanbul: Ekin Yayınları, 2013.
— Sakkyndig vitnesforklaring i rettsaken mot Anders Behring Breivik, Oslo tingrett, fredag 1 juni 2012.
— "What is terrorism?". In Winds of Change: On Irregular Warfare. 360-374. Helsinki: National Defence University of Finland, Publication series, N:o 18, 2012.
— "Osama bin Laden: mannen bak al-Qaida". Samtiden, no. 3 (2011): 247-251.
— "Al Qaeda without Bin Laden". In The U.S. vs. al Qaeda: A History of the War on Terror, edited by Gideon Rose & Jonathan Tepperman. 247-251. New York: Council of Foreign Affairs, 2011.
— "Al Qaeda Without Bin Laden: How Terrorists Cope With their Leader's Death". ForeignAffairs.com & CNN.com (May 11, 2011).
— "Jihadis divided between strategists and doctrinarians". In Faultlines in Global Jihad: Organizational, Strategic, and ideological fissures, edited by Assaf Moghadam and Brian Fishman. 69-87. London: Routledge, 2011.
— "Insight and Hypotheses on Causes of Terrorism Identified on the Basis of a Survey of the Literature on Terrorism". In The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research, edited by Alex P. Schmid. 276-279. London: Routledge, 2011.
— "Jihadi Strategists and Doctrinarians". In Self-Inflicted Wounds Debates and Divisions within al-Qa’ida and its Periphery, edited by Assaf Moghadam & Brian Fishman. 100-131. New York: Combating Terrorism Center, 2010.
— With P Nesser. "Lessons Learned from the July 2010 Norwegian Terrorist Plot". CTC Sentinel 3, no.8 (2010): 13-17.
— (جمعیت اخوان المسلمین مصر : ظهور یک جنبش توده ای اسلامی (۱۹۲۸-۱۹۴۲ ["The Society of the Muslim Brothers in Egypt: The Rise of an Islamic Mass Movement, 1928-1942"] (Tehran: Pizhūhishkadah-i Tārīkh-i Iṣlām, 1388 [2009]). Translated by ʻAbd Allāh Farahī.
— "'Destructive Doctrinairians': Abu Mus‘ab al-Suri's Critique of the Salafis in the Jihadi Current". In Global Salafism: Islam’s New Religious Movement, edited by Roel Meijer. 249-268. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
— With Q Siddique (eds). "Understanding Global Jihadism: Origin, Evolution, and Future Trends". FFI Research Report No.09/01145. Kjeller: FFI, 2009.
— "Al-Qaida’s Appeal: Understanding its Unique Selling Points". Perspectives on Terrorism 2, no.8 (2008): 3-10.
— "Doctrines for jihadi terrorist training". Terrorism and Political Violence 20, no. 4 (2008): 518-542.
— Architect of Global Jihad : The Life of Al Qaeda Strategist Abu Musʻab Al-Suri. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007/2012.
— "Abu Mus'ab al-Suri's Critique of Hard Line Salafists in the Jihadist Current". CTC Sentinel 1, no.1 (2007): 1-4.
— "Al-Suri’s Doctrines for Decentralised Jihadi Training". (Part 1), (Part 2), Terrorism Monitor: In-depth analysis of the War on Terror 5, no.1-2 (Jan-Feb 2007).
— With A Stenersen . "Al-Qaida’s online CBRN manuals: A real threat?". FFI Research Report No.2007/02405. Kjeller: FFI, 2007.
— With J K Berg. "Terrorisme". Aschehoug og Gyldendals Store norske leksikon. 4. utgave 2005-2007.
— "Al-Qaeda’s Dissident Voices". CSIS Congressional Forum on Islam (December 4, 2007).
— "Osama bin Ladens taler og skrifter: Eit etterord". In Budskap til verden: Osama bin Ladens ytringer, edited by Bruce Lawrence. 507-523. Oslo: L.S.P. Forlag, 2007.
— Building Arafat's Police: The Politics of International Police Assistance in the Palestinian Territories After the Oslo Agreement. Reading: Ithaca Press, 2007.
— A Police Force Without a State: A History of the Palestinian Security Forces in the West Bank and Gaza. Reading: Ithaca Press, 2006.
— "Al-Qaeda online: understanding jihadist internet infrastructure". Jane’s Intelligence Review 18, no. 1 (2006): 14-19.
— With L Bokhari, T Hegghammer, P Nesser & T H Tønnessen. "Paths to Global Jihad: Radicalisation and Recruitment to Terror Networks". FFI-Research Report-2006/00935. Kjeller: FFI, 2006.
— Globalisation and the Future of Terrorism: Patterns and Predictions. London: Routledge, 2005.
— With K H-W Skjølberg. "Causes of Terrorism: An Expanded and Updated Review of the Literature". FFI-Rapport-2004/04307. Kjeller: FFI, 2004.
— With T Hegghammer. "Jihadi Strategic Studies: The Alleged Al Qaida Policy Study Preceding the Madrid Bombings". Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 27, no.5 (2004): 355-375.
— With K H-W Skjølberg. "Warum es zu Terrorismus kommt – Ein Überblick über Theorien und Hypothesen zu den Ursachen des Terrorismus". Journal für Konflikt- und Gewaltforschung 6, no.1 (2004): 121-163.
— With Å Kjøk. "Energy Supply as Terrorist Targets? Patterns of 'Petroleum Terrorism' 1968-1999". In Oil in the Gulf: Obstacles to Democracy and Development, edited by Daniel Heradstveit & Helge Hveem. 100-124. Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate, 2004.
— "Norge og terrortrusselen etter Irak-krigen". In Hvilket Europa etter Irak: Konsekvenser og utfordringer for Norge, edited by Franck Orban. 31-45. Oslo: Europaprogrammet, 2004.
— "Irak og terrortrusselen: Eit oversyn over terrorgrupper med tilknyting til det irakiske regimet". FFI/Rapport-2003/00940. Kjeller: FFI, 2003.
— With Å Kjøk. "Islamist insurgencies, diasporic support networks, and their host states - the case of the Algerian GIA in Europe 1993-2000". FFI Research Report No.2001/03789. Kjeller: FFI, 2001.
— With Å Kjøk . "Terrorism and oil - an explosive mixture? A survey of terrorist and rebel attacks on petroleum infrastructure 1968-1999". FFI Research Report No.2001/04031. Kjeller: FFI, 2001.
— With R I V Andrésen (eds). "Terrorism, Political Violence and Organised Crime – Security Policy Challenges of Non-State Actors' Use of Violence". FFI Research Report No.2000/06444. Kjeller: FFI, 2000.
— With R I V Andrésen. "Asymmetri, asymmetrisk krigføring, asymmetriske trugsmål: bruken av asymmetri-omgrepet i tryggingspolitisk og militærteoretisk litteratur". FFI/Rapport-2001/01718. Kjeller: FFI, 2000.
— "Mot nye og farlegare formar for terrorisme? Trendar og utviklingstrekk ved moderne terrorisme". Internasjonal politikk 58, no.3 (2000): 357-383.
— "The establishment of a Palestinian police force in the West Bank and Gaza Strip". International Peacekeeping 6, no.4 (1999): 157-170.
— "Security challenges in Europe's mediterranean periphery: perspectives and policy dilemmas". European Security 8, no.4 (1999): 27-56.
— "The quest for regional security in the Middle East and North Africa: European and Arab security organisations in the Mediterranean". FFI Research Report No.99/02252. Kjeller: FFI, 1999.
— "Islam, vestleg militærmakt og humanitær intervensjon". PACEM: Militært tidsskrift for etisk og teologisk refleksjon 2, no.2 (1999): 133-141.
— "Islamist perceptions of the United Nations and its peacekeeping missions: Some preliminary findings". International Peacekeeping 5, no.2 (1998): 38-63.
— "'Heilag krig mot vesten?': Islamismen som tryggingspolitisk utfordring". In Sikkerhetspolitisk tenkning i en ny tid: fra enhet til mangfold, edited by Anders Kjølberg & Bernt Bull. 175-212. Oslo: Europaprogrammet, 1998.
— The Society of the Muslim Brothers in Egypt: The Rise of an Islamic Mass Movement, 1928-1942. Reading: Ithaca Press, 1998/2006.
— "Implementing the Oslo Peace Accords: A Case Study of the Palestinian-Israeli Peace Process and International Assistance for the Enhancement of Security". FFI Research Report No.98/01711. Kjeller: FFI, 1998.
— With Annika S. Hansen. "Sivilt-militært samarbeid og koordinering i fredsoperasjonar: ein introduksjon". FFI/Rapport-97/05161. Kjeller: FFI,1998.
— "Utsikter til ei fredsløysing for Sør-Libanon". FFI/Rapport-97/01446. Kjeller: FFI, 1997.
— "The Use of History in Egyptian Party Politics". Midtøstenforum: Tidsskrift om Midtøsten og Nord-Afrika 9, no.2 (1995): 38-43.
— "Mubaraks regime og Muslimbrørne". Midtøstenforum: Tidsskrift om Midtøsten og Nord-Afrika 9, no.1 (1995): 54-55.

Tuastad, Dag Henrik; Sogge, Erling Lorentzen & Lia, Brynjar (2022). Rebel governance and kinship groups in the Middle East and Africa. Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal. ISSN 2380-2014. 6(1-3), s. 1–11. doi: 10.1080/23802014.2022.2152862.
Lia, Brynjar (2022). The Islamic State’s tribal policies in Syria and Iraq. Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal. ISSN 2380-2014. doi: 10.1080/23802014.2022.2147990. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
The surprising ability of the jihadist organisation “the Islamic State” to capture and hold large territories in Syria and Iraq raises important questions regarding rebel governance in civil wars. One understudied aspect in the growing literature on rebel rule is insurgents’ relations to kinship organisations. This article offers a detailed empirical exploration of ISIS’ tribal policies in the mid-2010s. It argues that ISIS’ relative success in maintaining control over tribal areas in Syria and Iraq and preventing a tribal-based uprising is due to three main factors. First, ISIS pursued well-calibrated carrot-and-stick policies vis-à-vis the tribes, which divided tribal constituencies and undermined their ability to mobilise effectively. Secondly, the politico-military situation in both Iraq and Syria contributed to deprive the Sunni-Arab tribes from trustworthy military allies and sources of external support, which forced them instead to lie low and accept ISIS rule, while waiting for ISIS to be defeated by their enemies. Thirdly, inter- and intra-tribal divisions had allowed ISIS to penetrate most tribes thereby reducing the tribe’s ability to act as cohesive and effective socio-political and military units. By comparing tribal groups and jihadist insurgents, the article also speaks to the theoretical debate on extremist advantages in civil war.
Lia, Brynjar (2022). A Kurdish al-Qaida? Making Sense of the Ansar al-Islam Movement in Iraqi Kurdistan in the Early 2000s. Religions. ISSN 2077-1444. 13(3). doi: 10.3390/rel13030203. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
Initially construed as the vital link between Saddam Husayn’s Iraq and al-Qaida in the runup to the Iraq war, the Ansar al-Islam (AI) group formed in Iraqi Kurdistan in December 2001 has been the subject of intense debate and huge media coverage. In academic research, however, its history, evolution and affiliation have received surprisingly little academic scrutiny. Commonly depicted as an al-Qaida affiliated group or a sub-group controlled by al-Qaida’s emerging organization in Iraq (AQI), the AI group should—this article argues—instead be understood as a strong independent-minded group with an ideology and operational pattern distinct from that of AQI. Although sharing many commonalities, the AI and AQI became de facto rivals, not allies. Contrary to accepted wisdom, the AI and its first successor group remained a distinct Salafi-jihadi insurgent group largely focused on fighting ‘the near enemy’, i.e., Kurdish and Iraqi authorities. It strongly resisted repeated calls for joining al-Qaida’s new umbrella organization in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) in 2006, and it paid no homage to AQI’s or ISI’s leaders. Also on the international level, the groups were fundamentally different. As opposed to al-Qaida’s terrorist plotting abroad, the AI’s international network were hierarchical structures, geared towards raising logistical and financial support as well as recruitment. The article highlights the need for greater attention to the complexities and nuances in patterns of contacts and cooperation between militant Islamist extremists. Informed by the growing scholarship on the multifaceted nature of contemporary jihadism, its numerous manifestations in local settings, and its strong internal rifts, this paper seeks to redress the early reductionist portrayal of the AI movement.
Lia, Brynjar & Aarseth, Mathilde Becker (2022). Crusader Hirelings or Loyal Subjects? Evolving Jihadist Perspectives on Christian Minorities in the Middle East. Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. ISSN 0959-6410. 33(3), s. 255–280. doi: 10.1080/09596410.2022.2096761. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
In contrast to common assumptions, jihadist movements’ view of Christian minorities in the Middle East has been neither unambiguous nor static. It changes according to the overall political conflict in the region and is characterized by specific, unpredictable struggles that arise locally. By studying the official statements of al-Qaeda and ISIS, their ideological and strategic writings and their conduct vis-à-vis indigenous Christians in the Middle East, this article seeks to paint a more complex picture of how jihadists perceive this minority. One key finding is that the Christians of the Middle East and the foreign Christian ‘Crusaders’ are not a single phenomenon or foe in the conceptual worldview of jihadists. Second, rather than seeking to eradicate Christians completely, jihadist movements wish primarily to demonstrate the dominance of Muslims and their role as legitimate rulers over Christian minorities. Third, terrorist attacks on Christians and churches have been devastating and deadly, especially in Egypt and Iraq, but local Christian minorities are not a top priority target for most jihadist groups.
Ketchley, Neil; Brooke, Steven & Lia, Brynjar (2021). Who Supported the Early Muslim Brotherhood? Politics and Religion. ISSN 1755-0483. doi: 10.1017/S1755048321000298. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
Scholarship on political Islam suggests that support for early Islamist movements came from literate merchants, government officials, and professionals who lacked political representation. We test these claims with a unique tranche of microlevel data drawn from a Muslim Brotherhood petition campaign in interwar Egypt. Matching the occupations of over 2,500 Brotherhood supporters to contemporaneous census data, we show that Egyptians employed in commerce, public administration, and the professions were more likely to sign the movement’s petitions. The movement’s supporters were also overwhelmingly literate. Contrary to expectations, the early Brotherhood also attracted support from Egyptians employed in agriculture, albeit less than we would expect given the prevalence of agrarian workers in the population. A case study tracing Muslim Brotherhood branch formation and petition activism in a Nile Delta village illustrates how literate, socially mobile agrarian families were key to the propagation of the movement in rural areas.
Ketchley, Neil Frith; Brooke, Steven & Lia, Brynjar (2020). Who supported the early Muslim Brotherhood? Politics and Religion. ISSN 1755-0483. doi: 10.1017/S1755048321000298..
Lia, Brynjar (2019). Muhajirat-fenomenet: Hvordan ble kvinner fra Europa rekruttert til ISIL, og hva var deres rolle i Kalifatet? Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0800-336X. 36(2), s. 100–114. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-3053-2019-02-02.
Maktabi, Rania & Lia, Brynjar (2017). Middle Eastern Patriarchy in Transition. Die Welt des Islams: International Journal for the Study of Modern Islam. ISSN 0043-2539. 57(3-4), s. 265–277. doi: 10.1163/15700607-05734p01.
Lia, Brynjar (2017). The Jihādī Jihadi Movement and Rebel Governance: A Reassertion of a Patriarchal Order? Die Welt des Islams: International Journal for the Study of Modern Islam. ISSN 0043-2539. 57(3-4), s. 458–479. doi: 10.1163/15700607-05734p09. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Lia, Brynjar (2016). Fanatismens seier? : jihadismens frammarsj i den arabiske verdenen. Babylon - Nordisk tidsskrift for Midtøstenstudier. ISSN 1503-5727. 14(2), s. 60–85. doi: 10.5617/ba.4345.
Nesser, Petter & Lia, Brynjar (2016). Jihadism in Norway: a Typology of Militant Networks in a Peripheral European Country. Perspectives on Terrorism (PT). ISSN 2334-3745. 10(6), s. 121–134. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
Jihadism in Norway has witnessed a huge shift from consisting primarily of foreign ethnically homogenous networks with a low capacity for mobilization, to the current situation where a loose country-wide network of domestic extremists have demonstrated a considerable capacity for foreign fighter recruitment over the past four years. In this article we introduce a typology for better understanding how jihadism takes root in Europe’s periphery.
Lia, Brynjar (2016). En undersøgelse af islamistiske statsdannelsesforsøg. I Crone, Manni (Red.), Splittelsen i Global Jihad. Kampen mellem IS og al-Qaeda. Dansk Institutt for Internationale Studier. ISSN 978-87-7605-828-9. s. 30–43.
Lia, Brynjar (2016). Jihadism in the Arab world after 2011: Explaining its expansion. Middle East Policy. ISSN 1061-1924. 23(4), s. 74–91. doi: 10.1111/mepo.12234. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag
One of the most puzzling developments since the watershed event of 9/11 and the onset of the U.S.-led Global War on Terror (GWOT) is the expansion of the jihadi movement in the Arab world. This has taken place despite serious efforts to prevent it from happening. Massive investments in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency by a U.S.-led international coalition, in cooperation with regional partners, have included the entire spectrum of instruments available in the state toolbox. This extensive and costly campaign notwithstanding, the past 15 years have witnessed a remarkable growth in jihadism as a rebel ideology, a military guerrilla force and a global terrorist menace. At the time of writing, "the Islamic State" is losing territory in its heartland in Syria and Iraq and in its main regional province in Libya. However, the organization has proved capable of orchestrating an unprecedented campaign of international terrorist violence (outside Iraq and Syria), claiming more than 1,200 lives on five continents between September 2014 and July 2016.2 As for the Middle East, a cursory look at key indicators of the strength of jihadism in the region over the past decade similarly confirms an ominous upward trend.
Lia, Brynjar (2016). The Islamist Uprising in Syria, 1976-82: The History and Legacy of a Failed Revolt. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. ISSN 1353-0194. 43(4), s. 541–559. doi: 10.1080/13530194.2016.1139442.
Lia, Brynjar (2015). "Autobiography or Fiction? Ḥasan al-Bannā’s Memoirs Revisited". Journal of Arabic and Islamic studies. ISSN 0806-198X. 15, s. 199–226. doi: 10.5617/jais.4647. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
Lia, Brynjar (2015). "Understanding Jihadi Proto-States". Perspectives on Terrorism (PT). ISSN 2334-3745. 9(4), s. 31–41.
Lia, Brynjar (2015). "Korsfarernes medløpere eller lydige undersåtter? Jihadistbevegelsens syn på kristne minoriteter i Midtøsten". I Thorbjørnsrud, Berit S (Red.), De kristne i Midtøsten. Kampen for tilhørighet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 978-82-02-48897-0. s. 193–213.
Lia, Brynjar (2014). Jihadbevegelsen i den arabiske verdenen før og etter 2011 :. Babylon - Nordisk tidsskrift for Midtøstenstudier. ISSN 1503-5727. 12(2), s. 8–22. doi: 10.5617/ba.4172. Vis sammendrag
De arabiske folkeopprørene i 2010 og 2011 som tvang flere av Midtøstens mest notoriske autokrater fra makten, ble av mange tolket som et skudd for baugen for al-Qaida og jihadistbevegelsen. Demonstrantene på Tahrirplassen i Kairo var ikke-voldelige demokratiaktivister som ropte sekulære slagord som «folket ønsker å velte regimet!» og «brød, frihet og sosial rettferdighet!». Etter et tiår med intenst mediefokus på krigen mot terror var det nå de sekulære demokratiforkjempernes sin tur. De var hovedrolleinnhaverne i et historisk drama der jihadistene ikke var stort annet enn marginale tilskuere. Flere Midtøstenkjennere tolket dette som et kraftig tilbakeslag for al-Qaida og dets slagord om at væpnet kamp er det eneste effektive virkemidlet for politisk endring. Drapet på al-Qaidas ubestridte leder Osama bin Laden i mai 2011 fremstod for flere som spikeren i likkista for terrornettverket: «Skuta synker og kapteinen er død» var en av kommentarene man kunne høre i ekspertmiljøet av jihadismekjennere. I september 2014, snart fire år etter starten på de arabiske folkeopprørene, er optimistismen fra 2011 fjernere enn noen gang. Ikke bare har jihadistbevegelsen overlevd den arabiske våren, men den har ekspandert og vunnet terreng i et omfang som de færreste kunne ha forestilt seg. Per medio 2014 har jihadistbevegelsen flere mann under våpen, større territoriell kontroll og bredere geografisk nedslagsfelt i Midtøsten enn noen gang tidligere. Langt fra å gjøre al-Qaida irrelevant ble folkerevolusjonene «en gave» til jihadistbevegelsen, hevder professor Marc Lynch ved Georgetown University. Hva har skjedd og hvordan kan man forklare dette dramatiske skiftet?
Lia, Brynjar & Nesser, Petter (2014). Norske muslimske fremmedkrigere. Nytt Norsk Tidsskrift. ISSN 0800-336X. s. 399–416.
Lia, Brynjar (2011). Jihadis divided between strategists and doctrinarians. I Moghadam, Assaf & Fishman, Brian (Red.), Fault lines in Global Jihad: Organizational, strategic, and ideological fissures. Routledge. ISSN 978-0-415-58624-5. s. 69–87.
Lia, Brynjar (2009). Destructive doctrinians : Abu Musab al-Suri's critique of the Salafis in the jihadi current. I Meijer, Roel (Red.), Global Salafism : Islam’s new religious movement. Hurst Publishers. ISSN 9781850659792. s. 249–268.
Lia, Brynjar (2008). Doctrines for jihadi terrorist training. Terrorism and Political Violence. ISSN 0954-6553. 20(4), s. 518–542. doi: 10.1080/09546550802257226.
Hegghammer, Thomas & Lia, Brynjar (2004). Jihadi Strategic Studies: The Alleged Al Qaida Policy Study Preceding the Madrid Bombings. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. ISSN 1057-610X. 27(5), s. 355–375.
Skjølberg, Katja & Lia, Brynjar (2004). Warum es zu Terrorismus kommt - Ein Überblick über Theorien und Hypothesen zu den Ursachen des Terrorismus. ?. 6(1), s. 121–163. Vis sammendrag
Research literature on terrorism has been criticised for a general lac
Lia, Brynjar & Skjølberg, Katja (2004). "Warum es zu Terrorismus kommt – Ein Überblick über Theorien und Hypothesen zu den Ursachen des Terrorismus". Journal für Konflikt- und Gewaltforschung. ISSN 1438-9444. 6(1), s. 121–163.
Lia, Brynjar & Kjøk, Åshild (2004). "Energy Supply as Terrorist Targets? Patterns of 'Petroleum Terrorism' 1968-1999" in Daniel Heradstveit & Helge Hveem (eds.) Oil in the Gulf: Obstacles to Democracy and Development. Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate, 2004. I Hveem, Helge & Heradstveit, Daniel (Red.), Oil in the Gulf. Obstacles to Democracy and Development. Ashgate. ISSN 0-7546-3968-1. s. 100–124.
Lia, Brynjar (2000). "Mot nye og farlegare formar for terrorisme? Trendar og utviklingstrekk ved moderne terrorisme". Internasjonal Politikk. ISSN 0020-577X. 58(3), s. 357–383.
Lia, Brynjar (1999). "Security challenges in Europe's mediterranean periphery: perspectives and policy dilemmas". European Security. ISSN 0966-2839. 8(4), s. 27–56.
Lia, Brynjar (1999). "The establishment of a Palestinian police force in the West Bank and Gaza Strip". International Peacekeeping. ISSN 1353-3312. 6(4), s. 157–170.
Lia, Brynjar (1998). "Islamist perceptions of the United Nations and its peacekeeping missions: Some preliminary findings". International Peacekeeping. ISSN 1353-3312. 5(2), s. 38–63.

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Lia, Brynjar (2013). Müslüman Kardeşlerin doğuşu 1928-1942. ["The Society of the Muslim Brothers"] (Translated by İhsan Toker). Ekin Yayınları. ISBN 9789758507818.
Lia, Brynjar (2009). (جمعیت اخوان المسلمین مصر : ظهور یک جنبش توده ای اسلامی (۱۹۲۸-۱۹۴۲. Pizhūhishkadah-i Tārīkh-i Iṣlām / Research Center for Islamic History. ISBN 9789640443965. 372 s. Vis sammendrag
Persisk oversettelse av boken Brynjar Lia, "The Society of the Muslim Brothers in Egypt: the rise of an Islamic mass movement, 1928-1942" published by Ithaca Press in 1998.
Lia, Brynjar (2009). Architect of Global Jihad : the life of Al Qaeda strategist Abu Mus'ab al-Suri. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199326457. 510 s.
Lia, Brynjar (2007). Architect of Global Jihad: the life of al-Qaida strategist Abu Mus'ab al-Suri. C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85065-856-6. Vis sammendrag
With more than 35 years experience of jihadist activism, Abu Mus'ab al-Suri remains the foremost theoretician in the global jihadist movement today, despite his capture in Pakistan in late 2005. After having participated in the founding of Al-Qaeda inAfghanistan in 1988, al-Suri, whose real name is Mustafa Sethmarian Nasar, trained a whole generation of young jihadis at his camps in Afghanistan. When he moved back to Spain in the early 1990s, al-Suri took part in establishing Al-Qaeda networks in Europe. In the mid-1990s, he rose to prominence in jihadi circles as editor of the London-based bulletin of the Algerian Groupe Islamique Armee, the most deadly Islamist terrorist group operating in Europe at the time. Al-Suri later formed his own media centre and training camp in Taleban-ruled Afghanistan, to which he returned in 1998. Building on his extensive military experience from the Syrian Islamist insurgency in the early 1980s, he contributed decisively to formulating Al-Qaeda's global warfare strategy. Throughout his writings there is a desire to learn from past mistakes and rectify the course of the jihadi movement.His 1,600 page masterpiece, "The Global Islamic Resistance Call", outlines a broad strategy for the coming generation of Al-Qaeda, with a keen eye for the practical implementation of jihadi guerrilla warfare theories. His ideas of how to maximise the political impact of jihadi violence and how to build autonomous cells for 'individualised terrorism' have inspired many jihadi militants of today. The book includes a translation of two key chapters from al-Suri's seminal work "The Global Islamic Resistance Call."
Lia, Brynjar (2007). Building Arafat's police : the politics of international police assistance in the Palestinian territories after the Oslo agreement. Ithaca Press. ISBN 978-0-86372-305-6.
Lia, Brynjar (2006). A Police Force Without a State: A History of the Palestinian Security Forces in the West Bank and Gaza. Ithaca Press. ISBN 978-0-86372-304-9. 477 s.
Lia, Brynjar (2005). Globalisation and the Future of Terrorism: Patterns and Predictions. Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-5261-X. 259 s.
Lia, Brynjar (1998). The Society of the Muslim Brothers in Egypt: The Rise of an Islamic Mass Movement, 1928-1942. Ithaca Press. ISBN 978-0-86372-314-8. 328 s.

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Lia, Brynjar (2023). Al-Qaʿida Revisited. Bustan: The Middle East Book Review. ISSN 1878-5301. 14(1), s. 17–34. doi: 10.5325/bustan.14.1.0017. Vis sammendrag
This essay addresses the history of Usama bin Laden’s al-Qaʿida and the U.S.’s global war on terror through the prism of two new books by leading experts in the field. Nelly Lahoud’s book makes important use of new documents seized at bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad. Peter Bergen explores the relationship between Pakistan, al-Qaʿida, and the American war on terror. Both of these books add to the scholarly literature and shed light on existing debates in the field of jihadism studies. And examined in combination these books help scholars in the field conceptualize broader analytical issues that are important not only for how one understands al-Qaʿida, but also, more generally, for how one interprets and evaluates the history of jihadi organizations. For example, how does one judge success and failure for these groups? And what is the proper framework for analyzing the relationship between the central leaderships of these organizations and their regional branches, or even those who are inspired to act in their name? How do we explain the resilience and longevity of al-Qaʿida and its ideology? These two books help point the way forward for future scholars in the field.
Haga, Lars Peder & Lia, Brynjar (2023). Planla våpensalg til Putin – så ombestemte Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seg. [Internett]. Nettavisen.
Lia, Brynjar (2018). Islamistisk ekstremisme - en innføring. I Reiss, Ellen Christine & Noor, Linda (Red.), Radikalisering: fenomen og forebygging. Minotenk / Frekk forlag. ISSN 978-82-93097-48-8. s. 93–103.
Nickelsen, Trine & Lia, Brynjar (2018). Jihadistene setter ungdommen til å styre. Apollon : Forskningsmagasin for Universitetet i Oslo. ISSN 0803-6926. s. 28–31.
Lia, Brynjar (2015). "'Islamsk stat' – vanlegare enn du trur", Apollon, 4/2015, s.51-53. [Fagblad]. Apollon.
Trine, Nickelsen & Lia, Brynjar (2014). "Fire år etter den arabiske våren: Hva nå, Midtøsten?", Forskningsmagasinet Apollon, 4/2014, s.16-21. [Fagblad]. Forskningsmagasinet Apollon.
Hegghammer, Thomas & Lia, Brynjar (2009). Truer verden med terrorangrep. Dagsavisen. ISSN 1503-2892.
Lia, Brynjar (2008). Al-Qaida's appeal: understanding its unique selling points. Perspectives on Terrorism (PT). ISSN 2334-3745. 2(8), s. 23–28.
Skjølberg, Katja & Lia, Brynjar (2007). FACTS AND FICTION IN THEORIES OF TERRORISM - An Expanded and Updated Review of the Literature on Causes of Terrorism. Vis sammendrag
This essay presents a critical survey of the academic literature on the causes of domestic political violence and terrorism. Drawing on a broad specter of research on peace and civil conflict, this study focuses primarily on theories that seek to explain why some societies are more exposed to domestic terrorism than others, i.e. theories on individual, group and societal levels of analysis. The study underscores the importance of understanding terrorism in its socio-political context, identifying political and socio-economic conditions that are likely to generate high levels of terrorism. Being a relatively comprehensive survey of theories on the causes of terrorism, the study is presumably useful for students and scholars in the field of terrorism research, as well as for practitioners and policy-makers involved in planning long-term preventive and counter-terrorism strategies.
Skjølberg, Katja & Lia, Brynjar (2003). Facts and Fiction in Theories of Terrorism - A Review of Research Literature on Causes of Terrorism.
Nesser, Petter & Lia, Brynjar (2010). Lessons Learned from the July 2010 Norwegian Terrorist Plot. West Point.
Lia, Brynjar (2010). Doctrinairians vs Strategists: Fissures in the Jihadi Current. Combating Terrorism Center.
Hegghammer, Thomas; Bokhari, Laila; Lia, Brynjar; Nesser, Petter & Tønnessen, Truls (2006). Paths to Global Jihad: Radicalisation and Recruitment to Terror Networks. Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt. ISSN 82-464-1000-8.
Nesser, Petter & Lia, Brynjar (2005). Terror mot jarnvegar - eit oversyn over typiske terroraksjonar mot togpassasjertransport. Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt.
Lia, Brynjar & Skjølberg, Katja (2005). Causes of Terrorism: An Expanded and Updated Review of the Literature. ISSN 8246409492.
Nesser, Petter & Lia, Brynjar (2003). Terror mot drikkevann - en oversikt over terrorgruppers interesse for å ramme offentlig vannforsyning. Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt.
Lia, Brynjar; Hegghammer, Thomas; Andresen, Rolf-Inge Vogt; kjøk, åshild & Bokhari, Laila (2002). Atommateriale, gass og mikrober som terrorvåpen? En undersøkelse av terrorgruppers interesse for og bruk av ikke-konvensjonelle våpen. Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt.
Lia, Brynjar & Skjølberg, Katja (2000). Why Terrorism Occurs - A Survey of Theories and Hypothesis on the Causes of Terrorism. Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt. ISSN 8246404172.

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Publisert 6. jan. 2014 19:06 - Sist endret 25. juni 2024 13:53

Prosjekter

Bøker

Bøker i oversettelse

Media

Panelist on PRIO Seminar on PRIO-Uppsala Conflict Data Report 2023, 11.juni 2023.

"Truende jihadisme," Verdibørsen NRK Radio, 6.spril 2024.

"Moskva-terroren: IS sier de står bak," VG Nett, 25.mars 2024.

Intervju om deltaking i, og synet på, akademisk boikott av Israel, Uniforum.no 31.januar 2024.

"Midtøsten-ekspert: – Droner og missiler er blitt billig hyllevare." Dagens Næringsliv, 12.januar 2024.

"Polarisering og terrorfare." Dag og Tid, 8.desember 2023.

Forelesning på UiO-seminaret "Midtøsten: Er det egentlig et grønt skifte?" Domus Bibliotheca 28.november 2023.

"Planla våpensalg til Putin – så ombestemte Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seg." Nettavisen 30. april 2023.

"PST undersøker om søstrene hadde slaver i Syria." NRK.no 16. april 2023

Intervju om rollen til tilreisende kvinner i Den islamske staten, NRK Dagsnytt 18, 30.mars 2023.

"USA peker på dette som Al Qaidas nye leder." NRK.no, 16. februar 2023.

"Svart September." Ekko - NRK Radio 6. september 2022.

"Ayman al-Zhawahri drept: – Kortsiktig effekt." TV2.no, 2. august 2022.

"Al-Qaidas symbol er knust. Igjen står en fragmentert terrororganisasjon uten en klar leder." Aftenposten, 2. august 2022.

"Hvem var legen som ble verdens mest ettersøkte terrorist?", NRK.no, 2. august 2022.

"Israel rammes av den verste voldsbølgen på mange år." Aftenposten 1. april 2022.

Paneldebatt, Demokratidagene ved UiO, 30. mars 2022.

"Biden: IS-lederen valgte å sprenge seg selv." NRK 3 februar 2022.

Intervju i NRK dokumentaren "Mullaen og Meling", tre deler, 10 januar 2022.

Kommentator på boklanseringen til Dr. Mathilde Becker Aarseth: "Mosul under ISIS - Eyewitness Accounts of Life in the Caliphate." SIMS-UiO HumSam, 26 november 2021.

"Da terrorforskerne på Kjeller havnet i verdenspressens søkelys." FFI.no 3 desember 2021.

"Discourses on the Green Shift and Climate Change in Norway and the Gulf." Presentasjon på UiO:Energy Forum 2021, 24 November 2021.

"The Evolution of the Jihadi movement(s)." Presentation at the FFI-MFA conference "Taking Stock of the 9/11 Era" (online), 10 November 2021.

"Vil Norge snart bli tvunget til å hente IS-kvinnene hjem?" Aftenposten, 30 oktober 2021.

"Drapet på Osama bin Laden." Verdibørsen NRK Radio P2, 11 september 2021 (starter ca 33:40).

"Tryggere i Vesten" (Intervju), DN Magasinet,11 september 2021, side 44-46.

"Hvorfor lykkes jihadismen." Verdibørsen NRK Radio P2, 4 september 2021.

"Terrorforskerne del 2: Hvordan blir fremtidens terrorangrep?" FFI Podcast, september 2021.

"Terrorforskerne del 1: Bin Ladens harddisk." FFI Podcast, september 2021.

"– Al-Qaida er en større gruppe nå enn i 2001." TV2.no 24 august 2021.

"IS-kvinnen anker terrordom." VG Nett 5 mai 2021.

"Blir det en utfasing av elbilfordelene? Neppe." Aftenposten 3 april 2021.

Dagsrevyen, 5 mars 2021 (starter ca 13:19).

"IS-ekspert: – Ble fremstilt som «familievennlig jihad»," NRK.no 5 mars 2021.

"Sakkyndig i retten: Slik rekrutterte IS kvinner." VG.no 5 mars 2021.

"Norgeshistorie; Islamisme og jihadisme." NRK P2 - Fra vikingtid til i dag. En serie om Norges historie i 10 deler". 13. februar 2021.

Deltagelse i NRK Helgemorgen (om krigen mot terror), 12 september 2020 (begynner ca. 10:13).

"Frykten for å ytre seg henger fortsatt igjen etter Charlie Hebdo-angrepene." Aftenposten 3 september 2020.

VG - Skartveit (podcast): "Thomas Hegghammer og Brynjar Lia om islamistisk terror." 29 april 2020.

"Hvilken rolle hadde IS-kvinnene egentlig?". NRK, 26 januar 2020.

"Tror Iran-krisen vil styrke IS." Dagbladet 8 januar 2020.

"-Lite sannsynlig at det ender i storkrig." Minerva 3 januar 2020.

"Betraktninger om jihadismens fremtid." FFI seminar på Oslo militære Samfund, 10. desember 2019.

"Hvorfor ikke mer terrorisme i Norge?" ABC Nyheter, 11 desember 2019.

"Jihadism in the Middle East after the fall of the ISIS Caliphate." (Video Podcast), Senter for islam- og midtøstenstudier (Universitetet i Oslo), 29 november 2019.

"Her er den nye IS-lederen. – Han er beryktet for sin brutalitet." Aftenposten 28 oktober 2019.

NRK Urix Spesial, 17 oktober 2019 (intervjuet starter ca.1:09.30).

"Verden trodde IS var bekjempet. Nå gjør kaoset i Syria at jihadistene kan komme knallhardt tilbake." Aftenposten, 15 oktober 2019.

"Taboos and Blind Spots in Middle East Studies: Some reflections," Key note lecture, Nordic Conference on Middle Eastern Studies, Helsinki, 14-16 August 2019.

"IS-kvinnene som verken ble lokket eller lurt." Kilden kjønnsforskning.no, 10. september 2019 og forskning.no 23. september 2019.

"Terrorforskare: IS är försvagat men inte besegrat," Hufvudstadsbladet (Helsinki), 22. august 2019.

Intervju med YLE News ("Finlands NRK"), 16 august 2019 (begynner ca. 11:30).

"Dette bør du vite om kvinnene i IS-kalifatet," Dagbladet, 7. juni 2019.

"Hva motiverte IS-kvinnene?" NRK Nyhetsmorgen, 23. mai 2019 (intervjuet starter ca 2:13.00)

"IS forbereder sin retur." Nettavisen 5. mars 2019.

"Bin Ladens sønn tar over Al Qaida." Studio 2 - NRK P2, 4 mars 2019.

"Koner av kalifatet," Bergens Tidende, 17 januar 2019.

Foredrag på "FFI forum: Kan IS reise seg fra ruinene?", 4 desember 2018.

"Krigen i Syria har påverka både Midtausten og folk i Norden," Uniforum.no, 5. november 2018.

"Religiøs og politisk ekstremisme under lupen," Dagbladet.no, 12 september 2018.

"IS lå an til å bli knust, men nå styrker de seg igjen. Tyrkia får skylden," Aftenposten, 26 april 2018

"Ideologisk terror," VG (Leder) 22 februar 2018.

"Jihadistene setter ungdommen til å styre," Forskningsmagasinet Apollon, nr. 1 (2018): 28-31.

"Al-Qaida styrkes med pragmatisk jihadisme," Vårt Land, 3 januar 2018

"IS i Egypt," Utsynsartikkel i Forsvarets forum, nr. 6, desember 2017.

"Refleksjoner om statusen til al-Qaida-nettverket" i Oslo militære Samfund 12 desember 2017.

Intervju i NRK Nyhetsmorgen om "Hvor ble det av al-Qaida?", 12 desember 2017.

"Professor Brynjar Lia forskar på jihadisme og militante islamistbevegelsar. Her kjem han til poenget!" UiO: Det humanistiske fakultets FB-side, 26 oktober 2017.

"Slagord hjälper oss inte förstå islamistisk terror." Svenska Dagbladet, 1 september 2017

"Terroren fortsetter selv om kalifatet kollapser." Stavanger Aftenblad, 5 juli 2017.

"Maja Nordström: De fossilfria bränslens vinnare," Folkbladet, 5 juli 2017.

"Kriget mot IS vinns inte med Pyrrhusseger." Svenska Dagbladet, 23 mars 2017.

"Jihadismen inte uträknad." Intervju i Forskning & Framsteg, 15 desember 2016.

"Alla presidentens krig," Svenska Dagbladet (Ledare) 8 desember 2016.

"Kan eit grønare Midtausten bli friare?", Forskning.no, 20 november 2016.

"Aftenposten mener: IS' kalifat står for fall," Aftenposten, 31 oktober 2016.

"Eksperter tror IS blir minst like dødelige etter at de mister landområdene sine." Aftenposten, 30 oktober 2016.

"Hvorfor får islamske ekstremister makt i Midtøsten?" Forskning.no, 20 juni 2016.

"Nyliberalisme forklarer ikke terror." Kommentar i Morgenbladet, 13 mai 2016.

Bokanmeldelse i Aftenposten 15.april 2016 av antologien Sørensen, Hagtvet og Brandal (red.) Islamisme: ideologi og trussel (Dreyers, 2016)

"I verdenseliten i terrorforskning." VG.no, 7 april 2016.

"IS får fremgang med politisk teater," Vårt Land, 15 november 2015.

"Midtausten ikkje noko stort trugsmål for Europa," Uniforum, 17 mars 2015.

"Forsker Brynjar Lia snakker om organisasjonen Ansar al Islam i Morgennytt," NRK, 2 november 2010.

"– Utøya-aksjonen skiller seg klart ut blant terrorangrep," TV2.no, 1 juni 2012.

"22 juli-rettsaken," (sakkyndig vitnesmål), NRK, 1 juni 2012.

"Terror-ekspert: - Krekar har bare et titalls dedikerte tilhengere." NRK, 21 februar 2012.

"FFI-forskere har funnet et dokument som kan knytte al-Qaida til terrorangrepene i Madrid." NRK Dagsrevyen 12. mars 2004.

Blogging

"The Arab Mukhabarat State and its ‘Stability’: A Case of Misplaced Nostalgia." New Middle East Blog, April 26, 2016.

"A Solar Powered and Electrified Middle East?". New Middle East Blog, October 20, 2015.

"The Islamic State and its Mediatized Barbarism." New Middle East Blog, March 14, 2015.

"Jihadis Debate Egypt." (1), (2) (3) Jihadica: Chronicling the global jihad, February 4-7, 2011.

"More Fitna in Cyberspace: Mihdar vs al-Maqdisi." Jihadica: Chronicling the global jihad, February 7, 2009.

Ph.D.-veiledning

Mathilde Becker Aarseth (IKOS). "Governing the Caliphate. The Islamic State’s interaction with civilians in Mosul (2014-2017)." Disputas: 30 august 2019.

Laila Makboul, IKOS. "Pious Power: Epistemology, Discourses and Practices of Female Intellectual Preachers in Saudi Arabia." Disputas: 14 juni 2019.

Erling Lorentzen Sogge, IKOS. "No one can Rule Us. Politics of exile in the Refugee camp ‘Ayn Al-Hilwe, Capital of the Palestinian Diaspora (1993-2017)." Disputas: 31 august 2018.

Truls Hallberg-Tønnessen (FFI). "Al-Qaida in Iraq: The Rise, the Fall and the Comeback." Disputas (UiO/IAKH): 16 oktober 2015. (Biveileder. Hovedveileder professor Bjørn Olav Utvik).

Petter Nesser (FFI). "Jihad in Europe. Patterns in Islamist terrorist cell formation and behaviour, 1995-2010." Disputas Disputas (UiO/IAKH): 2012.

Anne Stenersen (FFI). "Brothers in Jihad: Explaining the Relationship between al-Qaida and the Taliban, 1996-2001." Disputas Disputas (UiO/IAKH): 2012.

Medlem/opponent i PhD-bedømmelseskomitéer

University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Disputas 4 februar 2022. Avhandling: Marta Furlan: "From Jihad-Making to State-Building: Understanding Governance by Salafi-Jihadist Insurgent Groups."

Syddansk Universitet. Disputas 20 november 2020. Avhandling: Ahmed Abou El Zalaf. "The Muslim Brotherhood and State Repression: The Rise of Clandestinity and Militancy in an Islamist Organization".

Universitet i Stavanger (UiS). Disputas 17 september 2019. Avhandling: Cato Hemmingby. "Terrorists and Targets: A Relationship Founded on Bad Intentions, Limited Capabilties and Risk Willingness".

Københavns Universitet. Disputas 18 januar 2011. Avhandling: Ann-Sophie Hemmingsen. "The Attractions of Jihadism: An Identity Approach to Three Danish Terrorism Cases and the Gallery of Characters around Them”.

University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Disputas 2 mai 2006. Avhandling: Pia Therese Jansen, "The consequences of Israel´s Counter Terrorism Policy".