PRIO director Kristian B. Harpviken: The State of Militant Islamism

The State of Militant Islamism The rapid expansion of the Islamic State (IS) has taken the world by surprise. The organizational efficiency, media savvy-ness and brutality of the IS is undisputable. The Middle East as we  recently knew it is rapidly changing. How did IS emerge? What is it that attracts recruits, both locally and from far? How does the organization finance itself? How does it compare to other militant Islamist organizations in recent history? What are the international responses and are they likely to work?