Professor Mohammed Hafez, NSA Department Chair, has published two new articles illuminating the ideological vulnerabilities of Islamist extremism. In “Apologia for Suicide,” he explains how jihadists violate Islamic jurisprudence through their tendentious rationalization of suicide attacks. This article is part of a 2018 Oxford University Press book, Martyrdom, Self-Sacrifice, and Self-Immolation, comparing suicide across multiple religious traditions. In his recent article, “Fratricidal Jihadists,” Professor Hafez explains how extremists are prone to recurring strategic errors that alienate their supporters and drive a wedge with potential allies. It appears in this summer 2018 issue of Middle East Policy.

In addition to the recent publications, on 31 May, Professor Hafez appeared on stage with Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times investigative journalist, to discuss Inside ISIS and the making of the Caliphate. The event was hosted by the San Francisco Commonwealth Club.

Professor Hafez will be turning over responsibilities as NSA Chair in September 2018 and will begin a sabbatical at the Institute of International Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

To read “Apologia for Suicide,” click here.

To read “Fratricidal Jihadists,” click here. 

To watch the panel discussion, click here. After an intro by the host, the panel discuss starts about 8 minutes in, and Professor Hafez appears after that.