Research Fellow (Cand. Polit, Dr. Philos)
Petter Nesser is a senior researcher at FFI’s Terrorism Research Group. He is a political scientist, historian and arabist, educated at the University of Oslo (UiO) and The American University in Cairo (AUC). Dr Nesser has conducted extensive research on European jihadism for more than a decade while concentrating on why and how terrorist cells emerge, and how they operate.
Nesser is currently focusing on jihadism in the Middle East post-ISIS, and working on a book about leaders of transnational militant Islamist movements. He has communicated research findings in Norway and internationally, through academic conferences and teaching, speeches before public sector and NGOs, and via media.
Research areas:
- Jihadism in Europe
- Social dynamics and leadership in transnational terrorist networks
- Middle East jihadism after ISIS