| Research & Events |
Partnership Between the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and
the Lauder School of Government
In the fall of 2005, the Lauder School of Government and Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya, Israel entered an agreement with the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism (INSCT) at Syracuse University to promote collaborative activities in counter-terrorism and conflict resolution through joint faculty research projects and the development of educational programs.
Can violent political extremists legitimately engage in the political process? Hamas as a case study
Wednesday, January 25th, 2006 - 9:00 a.m. EST, 16:00 Israel Standard Time,
Eggers 060
Faculty and students from Syracuse University and the Interdisciplinary Center will discuss via videoconference whether violent political extremists legitimately engage in the political process. They will use Hamas as a case study.
The phenomenon of terror organizations entering the political arena, such as the Irish Republican Army, Hezbollah, and most recently Hamas with its participation in the upcoming general elections, will be examined to better understand the meanings and ramifications of this trend and ultimately to make meaningful national and international policy recommendations for dealing with the transitions of such organizations.
The discussion will start with the macro – theory on transforming intractable conflict, perspectives on counter-terrorism, and the meanings and ramifications of terror organizations engaging in a political process - and then focus on the micro using Hamas as a case study. Issues to be addressed will include:
- Can the violent political extremist group Hamas transform into a non-violent political
actor? How can the militarist arm of Hamas be dismantled?
- If so - what are the identifiable steps in this process? How can this process be
supported and accelerated? Who are the necessary participants in this process?
- Can legitimate governments negotiate with violent political extremists? Is there a
way to divorce the political wing of a violent political extremist group from its military
wing for this purpose?
Watch the first Video Conference on January 25, 2006 between INSCT and ICT online. You must have Windows Media Player installed.
