Browsing by Author "Filippidou, Anastasia"

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    Chapter 1: Deterrence concepts and approaches for current and emerging threats
    (Springer, 2020-01-17) Filippidou, Anastasia
    By exploring and analysing the complexities associated with the development and application of the concept of deterrence in resolving conflicts, this chapter sets the context of the book. Deterrence has to do with maintaining the status quo by convincing an opponent or ally that the cost of an unwanted action is greater than the rewards. Deterrence, on the one hand can act as a delaying mechanism in dealing effectively with opponents, in which case the aim would be to contain a conflict and the focus is zero-sum and more short term. On the other, deterrence can have the role of a proactive mechanism, where the focus is longer term. To be able however, to make shifts from zero-sum to a positive-sum the deterring party needs to be aware of context specific variables such as the opponent’s values’ system, the mind-set, and decision making processes. Routinely, mirror-imaging influences decision making leading states to develop deterrence policies with limited impact and effectiveness, as deterrence requires an understanding of the other’s as well as one’s own motives, objectives, and decision-making processes. Mirror-imaging leads to questionable assumptions about opponents’ values and how they will behave under pressure.
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    Chapter 7: Ethnographic approaches in terrorism studies and research
    (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023-02-28) Filippidou, Anastasia
    Ethnographic approaches have played a significant part in terrorism research. This chapter examines the strengths and challenges of the ethnographic approach. The chapter draws on the author’s fieldwork experiences investigating violent ethnonational conflicts, predominantly from the cases of Spain/Basque country, France/Corsica, UK/Ireland, and Israel/Palestine. It is argued that ethnographic approaches can provide a very useful umbrella research method for terrorism studies, with the capacity to deal with a range of critical themes. A key recommendation is the importance and utility of a pragmatic empathetic ethnographic approach in researching terrorism and political violence.
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    How politicisation of the military affected the Indonesian Military Operations during the Indonesian-Malaysian Konfrontasi, 1963-67
    (2018-07) Aliabbas, Anton; Filippidou, Anastasia
    This dissertation addressed the lack of interdisciplinary research and understanding about the Indonesian military operations during the IndonesiaMalaysia Konfrontasi, 1963-67. It examined how use of interdisciplinary research can address way that politicisation of the ABRI might have affected the implementation of the operations. This qualitative study emphasised two aspects, namely, process of politicisation of the military and political behaviour in organisations. Indeed, the existing literature of political behaviour in organisations remained predominantly focused on private organisations. But, this dissertation argued that study of political behaviour in organisations theory is beneficial to assist the scrutiny of political behaviour in military organisation. The research methodology consisted of archival research, interviews and secondary sources. To be more specific, the research adapted explaining outcome process tracing and time series analysis technique to develop valid interpretation. The study finds that political behaviour in the ABRI contributes to the failure of Dwikora Operation, as hypothesised. The policy of Konfrontasi has substantively boosted the politicisation of the ABRI. This can be seen in the diversity of key military actors’ motives toward the policy. In particular, the 30 September Movement Affair has significantly changed the behavioural repertoire. Based on these findings, political behaviour in the ABRI toward the Konfrontasi generated both dysfunctional and functional individual, organisational and national consequences. Although, the main focus of the research is the Indonesian military operation during the Konfrontasi, the implications for certain civil-military relation theory and recommendations for future research were discussed.
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    The oxymoron of a benevolent authoritarian leadership: the case of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Hassan Nasrallah
    (Taylor and Francis, 2020-02-20) Filippidou, Anastasia
    Leadership entails both continuity and an ever-changing relationship between a number of factors, including the leader, the context, the followers, broader society and even the pace of change. Although the above elements are not identical in all scenarios, there are still certain transcending common features allowing to draw conclusions applicable to different situations. This article focuses on the leadership of radical political movements (RPMs) in volatile and crisis situations, and the role of this leadership in the transformation process from weak and fragmented communities to peaceful and viable ones. The article uses the case of Hezbollah to test the above ideas, and examines the motives behind Hezbollah’s infitah of opening up, and its lebanonization, expressed in its ideology, political programs, and policies, leading to Hezbollah’s integration into mainstream political life, blurring the boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate politics. The research demonstrates the need for a constant balance of different and often contrasting leadership characteristics and for the adjustment of leadership styles to constantly changing situations. Lastly, the article focuses on the rigidity of state counter measures toward RPMs and their leadership, with particular emphasis on the resilience of what often appears to be outdated state counternarratives.
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    Terrorism: the never-changing chameleon
    (Taylor & Francis, 2023-09-19) Filippidou, Anastasia
    The chapter examines the duality of terrorism, by focusing on the constancy of its foundations, and by also analysing the continually changing surface of terrorism. The former refers to the causes and fundamentals of terrorism, and the latter concentrates on its means and tactics, which is its chameleonic nature. The chapter demonstrates that although terrorism constantly changes, it simultaneously remains the same. A range of factors is behind current and future terrorism, and the chapter summarises these into 5Ds, that is development, deprivation, decision-making, depletion and demographics. Moreover, the intensity and effects of these 5Ds are going to be experienced unevenly across different regions and countries further accelerating causes for conflict and straining counterterrorism efforts. Within this context, even though terrorism has ancient roots, it becomes an emergent problem meaning the way in which complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of interactions. Consequently, future terrorist trends and means will include creative repetition, while states will need to avoid responses of non-creative repetition and instead focus on intentional adaptation. Through a variety of examples, the chapter illustrates the complexity of terrorism and develops a predictive model for future trends of terrorism and violent extremism.
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    Trust and distrust in the resolution of protracted social conflicts: the case of Colombia
    (Taylor and Francis, 2020-06-29) Filippidou, Anastasia; O’Brien, Thomas
    In protracted social conflict, trust between the contending parties is absent and distrust can prevent or undermine attempts to find a sustainable resolution. It is important to recognise distrust as an active process, distinct from low trust or the absence of trust. Previous work has identified the difference between thick (internal) and thin (social) trust bonds within and between groups. Recognising the varied nature of trust and distrust can provide opportunities to create mechanisms to bridge divides. It may be possible to create institutions able to guarantee agreements, as leading actors persuade followers by calling on thick trust. This paper examines the negotiation of the peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC, following more than 50 years of conflict. The aims of the paper are to (1) identify the form and extent of trust and distrust between parties, and (2) determine how distrust was managed in negotiating the peace agreement. The findings point to the ability of elite actors to develop thin trust through repeated formal interactions and in turn use thick trust to bind followers
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    The weaponisation of the Eastern Mediterranean: refugees as the Trojan horse for diplomatic bargaining
    (Taylor & Francis, 2022-10-28) Filippidou, Anastasia
    By focusing on the eastern Mediterranean, the chapter examines how states use forced seaborne population movement to enhance the states’ diplomatic approaches and bargaining methods. To this end, the chapter explores how people interact with nature and territory in pursuit of security and the relationship between politics, location, and material things. The chapter highlights the need for a critical analysis of the effects of securitisation and weaponisation approaches towards refugees, and the need for a reconceptualisation of the refugees not as products of push and pull mechanisms, but as human beings seeking better lives.
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    What drives terrorist innovation? Lessons from black September and Munich 1972
    (Springer, 2019-05-22) Silke, Andrew; Filippidou, Anastasia
    Understanding terrorist innovation has emerged as a critical research question. Terrorist innovation challenges status quo assumptions about the nature of terrorist threats and emphasises a need for counterterrorism policy and practice to attempt to not simply react to changes in terrorist tactics and strategies but also to try to anticipate them. This study focused on a detailed examination of the 1972 Munich Olympics attack and draws on the wide range of open source accounts available, including from terrorists directly involved but also from among the authorities and victims. Using an analytical framework proposed by Rasmussen and Hafez (Terrorist innovations in weapons of mass effect: preconditions, causes and predictive indicators, The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Washington, DC, 2010), several key drivers are identified and described, both internal to the group and external to its environment. The study concludes that the innovation shown by Black September was predictable and that Munich represented a profound security failure as much as it did successful terrorist innovation.