Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism

Formerly known as the Monterey Terrorism Research and Education Program, CTEC collaborates with world-renowned faculty and their graduate students in the Middlebury Institute’s Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies degree program

Our research informs private, government, and multilateral institutional understanding of and responses to terrorism threats.

Mixed-Methods Research

CTEC is a mixed-methods research center, meaning that our experts and students use analytic tradecraft, data science, and linguistics. We train our students and the wider MIIS community on skills that are in demand from government agencies, international organizations, technology companies, and financial institutions.

Education

CTEC is integrated into the curriculum of several Middlebury Institute degree and certificate programs, giving students opportunities to gain real-world work experience as paid research assistants:

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Cropped illustration of two snakes coming out of a computer screen

Working with the Institute’s Financial Crime Management program, CTEC studies and provides expert policy guidance on terrorism, criminal, and nonproliferation-related financing. In addition to counterterrorism financing and counterproliferation financing investigations and regulatory compliance, CTEC’s research highlights cases of sanctions evasion and examines the efficacy of terrorism-related sanctions imposed multilaterally by the U.S. government and other governments.
In collaboration with fintech and cryptocurrency companies, CTEC undertakes in-depth research to understand the use of online fundraising platforms and methods by terrorists and extremists.

Digital literacy is a critical component in the fight against radicalization and extremism, and CTEC works to build educational capacity in local communities for digital literacy skills.
CTEC also works with practitioners and experts in P/CVE to understand and improve on prevention and reintegration efforts for extremists and terrorists.
Awarded a grant from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, CTEC is currently working with the iThrive Games Foundation to build an innovative games-based curriculum to help build resilience to violent radicalization in high schools.

Prejudicial Publishing

August 17, 2023 | by Michael S. Broschowitz

Implicit bias in media coverage of terrorism impacts the ways in which we understand, analyze, and seek to subsequently mitigate violent extremism
The Wagner Group's Rebellion and the Drastic Evolution of its Social Media Since June 24th, 2023

July 17, 2023 | by Taylor Chin
Truth or Consensus

July 11, 2023 | by J.M. Berger

Knowledge belongs to the in-group

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Remembering Mike Donnelly

CTEC honors and remembers our friend and colleague, Mike Donnelly. His contributions to the Center and to MIIS will never be forgotten. If you would like to learn more about the Michael Donnelly CTEC Research Fellowship.

Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism

Mixed-Methods Research

Education

Areas of Focus

Militant Accelerationism

Online Extremism

Threat Finance and Sanctions

Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism

Emerging Technologies

Featured Publications

Prejudicial Publishing

The Wagner Group's Rebellion and the Drastic Evolution of its Social Media Since June 24th, 2023

Truth or Consensus

Events and Expertise

Events

Research Notes

Experts

Remembering Mike Donnelly

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