Going Beneath the Surface of the Paris Attacks
I have been living in Paris for three months and, like all Parisians, I am heartbroken by the events of November 13. I feel as though I've been caught up in the social media blitz that often follows these kinds of horrors, watching as the world paraded its opinions and argued incoherently. Of course, we must grieve and express solidarity, but above all, we must educate ourselves. The attacks in Paris were not an isolated incident. Terrorism is not a new, undocumented phenomenon. Daesh (or ISIS) is an organization that has been been followed by experts for years. While the conflict in Syria has escalated radically, its roots stretch far beyond recent events. We have access to a wealth of information from first-hand witnesses, scholars, and journalists that can help us to get beyond the surface of these stories. Here is a selection of some of the most useful resources.
ONLINE
The Atlantic published one of the most thorough examinations of ISIS, its strategies, and its ideologies.
Inside ISIS Inc: The Journey of a Barrel of ISIS Oil
A Financial Times graphic illustrating the connections of ISIS and oil production.
Caught Between ISIS and Assad
A Vice piece offering insights into the complexity of Syria's situation, especially the trials of the rebel fighters.
Planet Syria
Planet Syria is a platform for Syrian activists to condemn violence and engage with sympathizers.
The Creative Memory of the Syrian Revolution
This site is dedicated to collecting and documenting the experiences of Syrian citizens, including works of art and contemporary narratives.
BOOKS
Inside Terrorism by Bruce Hoffman
Hoffman examines terrorism and its implications in a post-9/11 world, particularly the motivations and practices of global terrorist threats.
What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat by Louise Richardson
Richardson creates an in-depth picture terrorists' desires, drawing on her personal contact with terrorists and her research at Harvard.
How Terrorism Ends: Understanding the Decline and Demise of Terrorist Campaigns by Audrey Kurth Cronin
This book explores solutions to terrorist campaigns, using historical examples.
Fragments of My Memory by Hanna Mina
An autobiography of a family which captures Syria before the conflict.
The Struggle for Arab Independence by Patrick Seale
Seale is an important historian of the Middle East and this book lays out a detailed framework of the region.
Radical: My Journey Out of Islamist Extremism by Maajid Nawaz
Nawaz chronicles his path into and beyond Islamist extremism, as well as his current commitment to democratic governance.
FILMS
The Discovery Channel created a four-part series about terrorism, specifically focused on religion, liberation, revolution, and the state.
Vice News: Islamic State
Vice has an entire series dedicated to ISIS, including a comprehensive, full length documentary. Vice also provides succinct weekly coverage.
