CTEC Publications

News Stories

The Charities of Hamas – Designations History and Policy Recommendations

March 17, 2026 | by Jason M. Blazakis

It has now been more than two years since Hamas’s deadly attack in Israel. As someone who worked for more than a decade in the United States Government (USG) as head of the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau’s Office of Counterterrorism Finance and Designations CT/CTFD, I wanted to reflect on the financial methods, with a specific examination of charities1, that Hamas has used to finance itself.

A Darker Strain of Environmentalism

February 4, 2026 | by Olivia Kilborn

As Executive Director of CTEC, I am proud to share this Michael Donnelly Research Fellowship report—part of a tradition of rigorous, student-led analysis that reflects the very best of our Institute. Like the Donnelly Fellow reports that came before it, this paper is published in honor of Michael Donnelly, a late friend and colleague whose legacy lives on through this fellowship supporting underrepresented MIIS students.

This report was written by Olivia Kilborn, a CTEC Michael Donnelly Research Fellow and an M.A. candidate in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies at MIIS. In A Darker Strain of Environmentalism, Kilborn examines the resurgence of ecofascist rhetoric in the context of the climate crisis and asks a timely question: how do online eco-fascist subcultures and far-right European political parties draw on ecofascist ideology—where do their rhetorical strategies converge, and where do they diverge? By comparing narratives across mainstream political arenas and extremist digital spaces, the report helps clarify how climate anxiety, migration politics, and identity-based grievance can be braided into exclusionary—and potentially violent—worldviews.

— Jason M. Blazakis, CTEC Executive Director 

Seeds of Extremism: Ecofascism and Militant Accelerationism in a Warming World

February 3, 2026 | by Isabela Bernardo

As Executive Director of Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism (CTEC), I’m pleased to share Seeds of Extremism: Ecofascism and Militant Accelerationism in a Warming World—a timely, rigorously researched analysis of how climate stress can be exploited by violent extremist movements, and how ecofascist narratives increasingly fuse with accelerationist tactics to produce a more dangerous hybrid threat. Grounded in a clear framework and strengthened by detailed case studies (including the 2019 El Paso shooting and an examination of the “Pine Tree Party” network), the report equips policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with the conceptual tools to recognize early warning signals, understand online radicalization 

This research paper—written by CTEC Senior Research Analyst Isabela Bernardo—is a must-read for anyone concerned about the rise of ecofascism and its intersection with violent extremist ideologies. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation for its generous support; without it, this paper and CTEC’s work examining the dangerous edges of accelerationist culture would not be possible.

— Jason M. Blazakis, CTEC Executive Director 

Hermetic Hatred: How Antisemitism's Architectural Framework Survives Theology, Politics, and Progress

September 1, 2025 | by Michael S. Broschowitz

This article examines antisemitism not as sporadic prejudice, but as a sophisticated ideological architecture that has preserved its structural integrity across nearly two millennia while adapting its surface manifestations to diverse historical contexts. 

Binary Breeding Grounds: How the Manosphere Manufactures Modern Antisemitism

August 27, 2025 | by Michael S. Broschowitz

This study examines how the manosphere has become a digital breeding ground for modern antisemitism, systematically integrating conspiracy theories with masculine grievance narratives. Through analysis of content from major platforms (2020-2024), the research reveals how engagement-driven algorithms gradually expose users to antisemitic content through seemingly unrelated dating and lifestyle advice.

Crowdsourced Political Violence: A Literature Review on How the Internet Embodies Leaderless Resistance and Empowers Lone Actors

August 18, 2025 | by Paula Granger

One of the most significant challenges and changes in political violence in modern times is not necessarily ideological but structural. The DHS and FBI identify lone offenders and small groups—particularly RMVEs, AGAAVEs, and HVEs—as persistent and lethal threats. Lone wolf attacks account for 93% of fatal terrorist incidents in the West in the past five years. These trends underscore how the Internet accelerates radicalization, connects lone actors to online communities, and provides logistical support.

Where the Olives and Sunflowers Grow: Strategic Reconciliation in the Israel-Palestinian Conflict

August 5, 2025 | by DJ Rosenthal

This article argues that achieving lasting peace in the Israel-Palestinian conflict necessitates moving beyond purely political solutions to embrace reconciliation, which is generally neglected. While acknowledging the profound devastation and complex geopolitical realities, I contend that the persistent cycle of violence, dehumanization, and blame stems from unaddressed “root causes” of extremism and deeply entrenched binary thinking.