Extremism
ISD combines sector-leading digital analysis capabilities with rigorous research to track, measure and analyse extremism.
Extremism is the advocacy of political and social changes in line with a system of belief that claims the superiority and dominance of one identity-based ‘in-group’ over all ‘out-groups’. It advances a dehumanising ‘othering’ mind-set incompatible with pluralism and universal human rights.
Using our digital analytics tools and ethnographic research capabilities, our analysts monitor and assess the scale and threat of Islamist extremism, far-right extremism, left-wing extremism and ethno-nationalism online.
ISD combines digital analysis with policy advisory support and training to governments and cities facing extremist threats. We educate young people to build resilience to violent extremism, analyse the consequences of mainstreamed extremist ideologies, and assist with rehabilitating and former extremists.
We develop education resources to explicitly address extremism online, and collaborate with networks of community influencers, city and government officials and the tech sector. Together, we can better counter the radicalisation and recruitment strategies of those advocating extremism and hate.
Our research team’s language capabilities allow us to monitor channels in English, French, Arabic, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish and Polish. We brief and advise an international range of policy makers, including government, security and intelligence agencies.
ISD’s Extremism Analysis team

Moustafa Ayad
Executive Director; Africa, the Middle East and Asia (AMEA)






Rashad Ali
Resident Senior Fellow






Zahed Amanullah
Resident Senior Fellow, Networks & Outreach






Milo Comerford
Head of Policy & Research, Counter-Extremism






Jacob Davey
Head of Research & Policy, Far-right and Hate Movements






Henry Tuck
Head of Digital Policy






Aoife Gallagher
Senior Analyst






Jakob Guhl
Senior Manager, Policy & Research






Charlotte Moeyens
Senior Manager, Networks & Civic Action



Charlotte Moeyens
Senior Manager, Networks & Civic Action



Ciarán O’Connor
Senior Analyst






Helena Schwertheim
Senior Digital Policy and Research Manager, ISD Germany






Will Baldet
Fellow






Hadiya Masieh
Fellow



Hadiya Masieh
Fellow