Political Scientists Available to Discuss Terrorism and Other Topics Related to the Investigation of the Boston Marathon Bombing

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the American Political Science Association:

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Political scientists are available to speak with members of the press about terrorism, national security, ethnic conflict, religious extremism, Eurasian politics and other issues related to the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombing.  

Mariya Omelicheva ([email protected]) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas and Acting Director of the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies.  Dr. Omelicheva's research and teaching interests include international and Eurasian security, counterterrorism and human rights, democracy promotion in the post-Soviet territory, and Russia's foreign and security policy. Her recent book, titled "Counterterrorism Policies in Central Asia" (2011), received an Outstanding Academic Title award by Choice.  Dr. Omelicheva's other publications include several peer-reviewed academic articles and book chapters, among them, "Natural Disasters: Triggers of Political Instability?" (2011), "Islam in Kazakhstan: A Survey of Trends and Conditions for Securitization" (2011), "Ethnic Dimension of Religions Extremism and Terrorism in Central Asia" (2010), and "Security Rights Violations in the Context of Counterterrorism" (2010).  Her current research applies framing perspective to democracy promotion efforts in Central Asia.  Dr. Omelicheva received her Ph.D. in political science from Purdue University.

Thomas Hegghammer ([email protected]) is the Zukerman Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) at Stanford University (2012-2013), and Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) in Oslo, Norway.  Dr. Hegghammer has previously held fellowships at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and at Harvard, Princeton and New York Universities.  He studies militant Islamism with a particular focus on transnational jihadi groups. His book Jihad in Saudi Arabia (2010) won the silver medal of the Arthur Ross Book Award from the Council of Foreign Relations.  A forthcoming book is Godfather of Jihad: Abdallah Azzam and the First Arab Afghans (expected 2013). He also co-authored Al-Qaida in its own Words (2008) and The Meccan Rebellion (2011). Dr. Hegghammer's other publications include numerous peer-reviewed academic articles and book chapters, op-eds for the New York Times and the Guardian, and reports for the International Crisis Group and the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.  He has commented widely in international media and has testified in parliamentary hearings on terrorism legislation in Canada and Denmark.  Dr. Hegghammer received his Ph.D. in political science from Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris.

Daniel Byman ([email protected]) is on the faculty of the Security Studies Program in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and has a concurrent appointment in the Georgetown Department of Government. He served as director of Georgetown's Security Studies Program and Center for Security Studies from 2005 until 2010. He is also a Senior Fellow and Director of Research at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.  Dr. Byman has written extensively on a range of topics related to terrorism, international security, civil and ethnic conflict, and the Middle East.  He is the author of A High Price: The Triumphs and Failures of Israeli Counterterrorism (2011); The Five Front War: The Better Way to Fight Global Jihad (2007); Deadly Connections: States that Sponsor Terrorism (2005); Keeping the Peace: Lasting Solutions to Ethnic Conflict (2002); and co-author of Things Fall Apart: Containing the Spillover from the Iraqi Civil War (2007) and The Dynamics of Coercion: American Foreign Policy and the Limits of Military Might (2002). His recent articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy, as well as peer-reviewed political science journals.  From 2002 to 2004 Dr. Byman served as a Professional Staff Member with the 9/11 Commission and with the Joint 9/11 Inquiry Staff of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.  Before joining the Inquiry Staff he was the Research Director of the Center for Middle East Public Policy at the RAND Corporation. Previous to this, Dr. Byman worked as an analyst on the Middle East for the U.S. government.  Dr. Byman received his Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Brigitte Nacos ([email protected]) is Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Columbia University.  Her research focuses on the links between the mass media, public opinion, and decision-making and on domestic and international terrorism and counterterrorism.  Dr. Nacos is the author and co-author of several books, among them Selling Fear: Counterterrorism, the Media, and Public Opinion (2011), Terrorism and Counterterrorism (4th Edition) (2011), Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Understanding Threats and Responses in the Post 9/11 World (3rd Edition) (2009), Mass-Mediated Terrorism: The Central Role of the Media in Terrorism and Counterterrorism (2007), Fueling Our Fears: Stereotyping, Media Coverage, and Public Opinion of Muslim Americans (2006), and Terrorism and the Media (1996). Dr. Nacos received her Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University.

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About the American Political Science Association
Founded in 1903, the American Political Science Association is the leading professional organization for the study of political science and serves more than 15,000 members in over 80 countries. With a range of programs and services for individuals, departments and institutions, APSA brings together political scientists from all fields of inquiry, regions, and occupational endeavors within and outside academe in order to expand awareness and understanding of politics.

SOURCE American Political Science Association