Trauma perspective on vulnerability to radicalization
Project manager on SASS:
Assist. Prof. Janja Mikulan, Ph.D.

Financier:
Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije – ARIS

Project type/Action: Call for (co-)funding of research projects 2023; Basic Postdoc Research Project
Project duration: 24 months
Start of the project: 2023
End of the project: 2025
Project description:
In the contemporary global landscape, pervasive traumatic experiences have resulted in substantial human and societal repercussions. Such traumas are frequently precipitated by a deleterious cultural milieu that is maladaptive for human well-being, giving rise to numerous pathologies rooted in stress, economic deprivation, social isolation, climatic alterations, and environmental deterioration. Communities and individuals ensnared within cyclical traumatic responses often become nuclei for intensified sociocultural challenges and aggressive behaviors, inclusive of political violence. While there exist notable theoretical progressions in deciphering the radicalization continuum, elucidating the multifaceted interplay of precipitating factors remains a formidable endeavor. A particularly promising investigational trajectory that has surfaced recently pertains to the application of trauma-informed paradigms to radicalization trajectories, a notion that galvanized the inception of this post-doctoral undertaking. Additionally, the project will integrate a social-ecological systems perspective on radicalization, proffering a cohesive framework to delineate the myriad individual, societal, and cultural determinants and their confluence that potentially catalyzes an individual’s affiliation with extremist factions.
The project will focus on two highly traumatized and radicalized regions, Middle East, and Western Balkans, with special focus on Lebanon and Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH).
Given the nascent nature of this research domain and the requisite for more empirical substantiation, the project will employ a Mixed Methods Research approach, with an emphasis on the Exploratory Sequential Design. This methodological approach facilitates the extraction of nuanced and comprehensive datasets, facilitating a juxtaposition of quantitative and qualitative insights.
The research outcomes promise to be multifariously advantageous. They aim to furnish avant-garde insights into the intricate radicalization mechanism, capacitating scholars, practitioners, and communities to enhance their grasp of radicalization’s etiology and consequently, devise efficacious strategies for prevention and counter-radicalization.
Project main aim:
The main objectives of the project are to a) expand and deepen the knowledge on how trauma increases the vulnerability to radicalization; b) explore the interaction between different factors on micro, mezzo, and macro levels for radicalization.
Results/Activities:
The project is structured into seven delineated work packages (WPs) which encompass: project oversight and administrative tasks; conceptualization and execution of the qualitative component; methodological extrapolation based on qualitative findings; blueprinting and realization of the quantitative component; analytical interpretation of affiliated outcomes; strategic communication and knowledge dissemination; intrinsic evaluation metrics; and supervisory provisions.
During the project’s initial operational stage, systematic interviews will be administered to individuals in Lebanon and Bosnia and Herzegovina who have undergone radicalization processes. This qualitative exploration aims to: a) delineate traumatic occurrences and individual traumatic histories, emphasizing particularly consequential early-life experiences, while also elucidating the intrinsic significance these individuals ascribe to such experiences; b) discern potential transmutations of individual traumas into narratives of collective experiences; and c) investigate the interconnections between foundational (micro) factors, prominently trauma, and intermediary (meso) and overarching (macro) elements.
Subsequent to this, the second operational stage will leverage insights from the preliminary phase to: a) engineer a quantitative tool geared towards assessing specific variables that elucidate the correlation between trauma exposure and heightened susceptibility to radicalization; and b) quantitatively evaluate the predisposition to radicalization, viewed through the trauma lens, among the youth demographic in both Lebanon and BiH.
Conclusively, the terminal stage of the project will amalgamate all derived insights, which will be articulated cohesively within scholarly articles and disseminated across various publication mediums.
Project news:
April 2025
The School of Advanced Social Studies is proud to announce that our researcher, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan, has been invited to participate in the EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation (Thematic Panel 4: Local Dimension, Polarisation, and Resilience Building). This is a flagship initiative of the European Commission aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism.
In the coming months, a team of researchers, policymakers, and experts from across Europe, including Dr. Mikulan, will work on developing proposals that will be incorporated into the upcoming EU Agenda for Counterterrorism and Prevention of Radicalisation. Based on the results of her research conducted within her postdoctoral project (ARIS), Dr. Mikulan will contribute valuable knowledge and expertise on trauma-informed understanding of radicalisation.
At the first meeting in Brussels in April 2025, participants focused on:
• Reviewing the complex landscape of extremism and its impact on communities,
• Investigating causes, consequences, and protective factors,
• Analyzing propaganda, disinformation, and foreign influence.
We wish the working group great success in this important mission!
January 2025
In January 2025, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan, an ARIS postdoctoral researcher, participated as a speaker 🎤 at the Media Literacy Stakeholders Forum titled Strengthening Resilience Against Online Fake News, Disinformation, and Misinformation, held as part of the MELI RESIST project. 💬
🔎 During the discussion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan highlighted the challenges related to extremist content on the internet and social media 🌐, the importance of understanding the vulnerabilities of children and young people 👧👦 to such content, particularly from the perspective of trauma 💥, and the role of intersectoral cooperation 🤝.
✨ Based on the forum, which also featured other distinguished speakers 👥 (Dr. Mateja Rek, Dr. Igor Pesek, Dr. Sonja Merljak Zdovc) and world-renowned expert in media literacy 📚, Dr. Renee Hobbs, an excellent infographic 📊 was created, showcasing the key highlights of the MELI RESIST project. It is available on the MELI RESIST – FUDŠ website. https://www.fuds.si/sl/meli-resist/
December 2024
Researcher Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan participated in the international conference Memory and Trauma organized by the London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on December 8, 2024. At the conference, she presented a paper titled The Role of Collective Trauma and Memory in Radicalization: Case Study of Lebanon.
In her research, she demonstrated how the sectarian political system, along with historical and ongoing violence, creates a complex socio-political landscape and collective trauma (collective narratives, emotions, and mental models) that deepen radicalization and violent extremism. Dr. Mikulan also discussed the current war situation in Lebanon with interested participants.
The research is part of her postdoctoral fundamental project Vulnerability to Radicalization from the Perspective of Trauma, funded by the Slovenian Public Agency for Research and Innovation (ARIS).
October 2024
At the 17th Slovenian Social Sciences Conference (SSSC) and the third Jean Monnet Day, held on October 18, 2024, a panel titled EU as a Global Actor in a Fragmented and Traumatized World – EU-GlobalAct took place. The participants presented various but closely related challenges faced by the modern world.
The panel leader and ARIS postdoctoral researcher, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan, presented on the topic of Online Radicalization: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In her presentation, she introduced the central dynamics of far-right and jihadist extremism and then focused on the primary mechanisms of online radicalization of both extremist groups.
She concluded that both groups use the internet as a crucial tool for recruiting and mobilizing individuals. Through online platforms, extremist groups exploit vulnerabilities and offer rigid frameworks for addressing individuals’ perceived injustices. The internet also allows them to create closed, radical communities that reinforce alienation and encourage individuals toward violence.
The event provided exceptional insights into how we can contribute to creating a more resilient, inclusive, and secure society. Thanks to all the speakers and participants!
June 2024
After eight months of intensive literature review, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan, within the ARIS postdoctoral research project titled Vulnerability to Radicalization from the Perspective of Trauma, is beginning her fieldwork in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Amid an increasingly fragile security situation in the Western Balkans, her research will offer a timely and relevant insight into the importance of understanding unresolved individual and collective traumas that affect bodies, brains, beliefs, and behaviors of individuals and communities, thereby increasing their vulnerability to political manipulation, radicalization, and violent extremism.
October 2023
The Faculty of Advanced Social Studies has successfully secured funding through the public call for (co)financing research projects for the year #2023 by the Slovenian Public Agency for Research and Innovation (#ARIS). This year, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Janja Mikulan has been awarded a postdoctoral research project (fundamental) titled Vulnerability to Radicalization from the Perspective of Trauma.
Over the next two years, Dr. Mikulan will focus on in-depth research into radicalization and violent extremism, particularly in Lebanon and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project will employ a social-ecological systems perspective of radicalization, addressing these phenomena through the lens of trauma. Given the initial nature of this research field and the need for greater empirical substantiation, the project will adopt a mixed-methods research approach.
The research results will be valuable on multiple levels. They will provide innovative insights into the complex process of radicalization, helping academics, practitioners, and communities to develop a deeper understanding of the roots of radicalization and formulate appropriate interventions for preventing and combating violent extremism.
#FUDŠ #research #radicalitation #violentextremism #lebanon #bosniaandherzegovina
