Dr. Akil N. Awan is Associate Professor in Modern History, Political Violence and Terrorism in both the Department of History at Royal Holloway, University of London.
His current research interests are focused around the history of terrorism; processes of radicalization; political violence, social movements and protest, new media, and contemporary religion, and he has published widely on these subjects.
He also serves as the Director of Undergraduate Studies in History and the Deputy Director of the Humanities and Arts Research Centre at Royal Holloway. In addition, he is also Research Associate with the New Political Communication Unit, with the Centre for Public History, and the Centre for Minority Studies.
Dr Awan is regularly consulted by government bodies, think-tanks, and other organizations in his fields of expertise, and has served in an advisory capacity and on numerous working groups for The Home Office, the US Military (CTC), the Carter Center, the US State Dept., The Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Office for Security & Counter Terrorism, Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, Wilton Park, the Royal United Services Institute, and the United Nations.
He has also served as key academic expert on Radicalisation to the UK Parliament, as academic expert on Genocide to the House of Lords delegation to Srebrenica, and as expert advisor on Youth Radicalization to the United Nations.
He is the Founder and Chair of the Political Science Association's Specialist Group on Political Violence & Terrorism.
Experience
2011–present
Lecturer in Modern History, Political Violence & Terrorism, Royal Holloway
2006–2011
RCUK Fellow in Contemporary History of Faith, Power & Terror, Royal Holloway
Education
UCL, BSc
2011
SOAS, University of London, MA, PhD
Publications
2013
Spurning this Worldly Life: Martyrdom amongst British Jihadists, Martyrdom and Terrorism: Pre-Modern to Contemporary Perspectives
2012
Jihadi ideology in the new-media environment, Contextualising Jihadi Thought
2011
Radicalisation and Media: Connectivity and Terrorism in the New Media Ecology,
2009
Al-Qa'ida's Virtual Crisis, RUSI Journal
2008
Antecedents of Islamic Political Radicalism Among Muslim Communities in Europe, PS: Political Science & Politics
2007
Radicalization on the Internet? The Virtual Propagation of Jihadist Media and its Effects, RUSI Journal
2007
Transitional Religiosity Experiences: Contextual Disjuncture and Islamic Political Radicalism, Islamic Political Radicalism: A European comparative perspective
2007
Virtual Jihadist media: Function, legitimacy, and radicalising efficacy, European Journal of Cultural Studies
Grants and Contracts
2014
Betraying the Legacy of Magna Carta - Torture, Rendition, and Extrajudicial Killing in the 21st Century
Role:
Principle Investigator
Funding Source:
Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Committee
2013
Bridging Voices: Religion, Conflict Resolution and Digital Media in the Greater Muslim World
Role:
Co-Investigator
Funding Source:
British Council
2009
Legitimising the discourses of radicalisation: Political violence in the new media ecology
Role:
Co-Investigator
Funding Source:
Economic and Social Research Council
2009
New Security Challenges: Political Violence in the new Media Ecology