Milan, Italy

Al Qaeda 3.0 - The New Challenges of Jihadism (taught in ITALIAN)

Al Qaeda is changing. Its ideology, despite Osama Bin Laden’s disappearance and other hard blows inflicted to her, it is not declining. Al Qaeda no longer appears as the monopolist organization of radical Islamic terrorism and understand its limits is becoming increasingly hazy. Several analysts - always looking for conceptual labels - have called it Al Qaeda 3.0. After the first version created by bin Laden for war in Afghanistan and the second "launched" with the 9/11 attack, and still very much focused regionally (Af-Pak and then Iraq), the third version would be described as an hydra with multiple heads and with a common body consists of information, financing, fighters, logistics support, joint training bases and safe-heaven. In recent months the face of the Jihad seemed to be redefining itself through new routes: from Iraq to Syria and from there to Egypt and Libya, crossing the desert of Algeria and Mali up to the northern part of Nigeria. Al Qaeda has undergone significant changes over the course of its history, and today, it certainly does not seem to exist as a single centralized organization, but is distinguished by the ability to devise independent projects, accept tactical alliances and convergences with political groups, especially the Salafis, who have common goals, but it mainly seem to take advantage of the instability in North Africa, an entire region struggling with a complex transition. The last few years have marked a spread of radical Islamic formations in Africa. The Sahel-Sudan belt immediately south of the Sahara has always been a region of instability and insecurity. The Sahara has acquired a new geopolitical centrality: the focus is on the polarized Mali and international intervention against radical Islamic and secessionist formations that have occupied the north and has proclaimed the State of Azawad. This part of Africa seems more related to the Arab-Islamic world with its unsolved problems. The course includes a first day focused on changes in the organization and the new threats that it (or its ideology) leads to, in particular in Europe. Are becoming more frequent, in fact, even in Europe, cases of personal indoctrination ("individual jihad") and cases of European fighters on the front lines of jihad in the Middle East. The second day will be devoted to how the difficult transition to democracy in North Africa has opened up new possibilities and room for action for jihadist groups, as well as new connections, mainly through Libya and Mali, including the Middle East and Africa.

Course leader

Arturo Varvelli - Research Fellow, ISPI

Target group

The course is intended for:

- Students
- Graduates
- Young professionals

Fee info

EUR 200: The EUR 200 course fee includes all instructional materials