March 23 marked two years since the collapse of the Islamic State's caliphate, which for five years represented the pinnacle of jihadi extremism in the 21st century. Yet ISIS is estimated to have at least 10,000 fighters still capable of marauding attacks, assassinations, and bombings in Iraq and Syria. More than a dozen franchises—stretching from West Africa to East Asia—also represent a threat to local, regional, and international security as ISIS remains a global engine for radicalization.

On March 22, USIP and the Wilson Center hosted a discussion with four leading experts that explored the challenges of ISIS today: What are its future prospects, given that many of the political and economic flashpoints that spawned ISIS have still not been addressed? How has it adapted to the loss of its state, and might it hold or govern territory again? And now that it is cut off from traditional social media and relegated to the dark web, how is ISIS recruiting followers—and how successfully? Are there any signs that either ISIS, or jihadism generally, is being rejected?

Speakers

James F. Jeffrey
Chair, Middle East Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Former Ambassador to Iraq and Turkey and Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS

Ali Soufan 
Chairman and CEO, The Soufan Group
@Ali_H_Soufan

Robin Wright
USIP-Wilson Center Distinguished Fellow; Author and Columnist for The New Yorker
@wrightr

Anne Barnard, moderator
Journalist, The New York Times

Latest Publications

Teaching Peace: Nelson Mandela’s Story in a World of Conflicts

Teaching Peace: Nelson Mandela’s Story in a World of Conflicts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

By: Kristen Embry;  James Rupert

A world reeling from the brutal horrors of our current wars will next week mark (or perhaps overlook) the 10th anniversary of the death of a peacemaking icon: South Africa’s liberation leader and former president, Nelson Mandela. Amid continued or escalated wars — Israel-Gaza, Ukraine-Russia, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan and others — USIP this month hosted Georgia’s senator, the Reverend Raphael Warnock, in a discussion of Mandela’s legacy and immediate relevance. Another Georgian, Decatur High School history teacher Kristen Embry, introduced Warnock. She spoke about Mandela and her own mission of teaching history and peacebuilding to American students in the 2020s.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Education & TrainingYouth

The Unsustainable Exploitation of Solomon Islands’ Natural Resources

The Unsustainable Exploitation of Solomon Islands’ Natural Resources

Thursday, November 30, 2023

By: Charley Piringi

The extractive industry in Solomon Islands serves as a crucial catalyst for economic growth and development, tapping into the nation's abundant natural resources like timber, minerals and fisheries for export — mainly to China. But despite its promise for economic prosperity, the extractive industry poses significant challenges, requiring careful management to ensure sustainability and minimize adverse effects on the environment and local communities.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

Conflict Analysis & PreventionEnvironment

U.S. Approach to COP28 Will Shape How it is Perceived in the Pacific

U.S. Approach to COP28 Will Shape How it is Perceived in the Pacific

Thursday, November 30, 2023

By: Gordon Peake, Ph.D.

Pacific Island nations will be attending the 2023 U.N. Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai this week with their concerns well known. USIP’s Gordon Peake discussed what the island states will expect from the summit, how the U.S.-China strategic competition is playing out in the region and what more the United States can do to build support in the region.

Type: Analysis and Commentary

EnvironmentGlobal Policy

View All Publications