Brian J. Phillips
@brianjphillips.bsky.social
Terrorism, conflict, crime. @uniessexgov.bsky.social. Via Ohio, Camp Lejeune, PGH, CDMX. Co-authored book: "Insurgent Terrorism." https://sites.google.com/site/brianjphillips/home
Pinned
Who Are the Terrorism Researchers? A Study of Scholars in an Evolving Field, 1970–2019
Debates rage about diversity and representation. How diverse is terrorism studies? How has it changed over time? This article analyzes data on the nearly 2,000 terrorism scholars in the Web of Scie...
doi.org
Who creates terrorism research? Which countries produce the most? How have these things changed over time? Check out my recent article.
doi.org/10.1080/1057...
doi.org/10.1080/1057...
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
It’s hard to accurately describe what is happening in Minneapolis without sounding crazy.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
January 22, 2026 at 2:12 PM
It’s hard to accurately describe what is happening in Minneapolis without sounding crazy.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
A professor in Mexico, from the Iberoamericana University-Puebla, has been missing 2 weeks now. Academics in Mexico have mostly been spared from the massive wave of disappearances affecting the country, so this is unusual.
elpais.com/mexico/2026-...
elpais.com/mexico/2026-...
El último rastro del profesor colombiano desaparecido en México
Leonardo Ariel Escobar, investigador de la Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla, desapareció en Nuevo León el 2 de enero tras dos días detenido a su llegada a Monterrey
elpais.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:40 PM
A professor in Mexico, from the Iberoamericana University-Puebla, has been missing 2 weeks now. Academics in Mexico have mostly been spared from the massive wave of disappearances affecting the country, so this is unusual.
elpais.com/mexico/2026-...
elpais.com/mexico/2026-...
Super interesting, about the massive violence behind the last few hundred years of West-led growth. Free/gift article
“Did killers make the modern world?”
economist.com/culture/2026...
“Did killers make the modern world?”
economist.com/culture/2026...
Did killers make the modern world?
A blockbuster history claims that violence drove the Industrial Revolution
economist.com
January 17, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Super interesting, about the massive violence behind the last few hundred years of West-led growth. Free/gift article
“Did killers make the modern world?”
economist.com/culture/2026...
“Did killers make the modern world?”
economist.com/culture/2026...
Terrorist tactics by criminal organizations.
The bandits striking fear in Nigeria (like groups in other regions) blur lines between conflict and crime. But it remains important to understand group types, group motivations, to find best policies to reduce violence.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
The bandits striking fear in Nigeria (like groups in other regions) blur lines between conflict and crime. But it remains important to understand group types, group motivations, to find best policies to reduce violence.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Thousands of Nigerians flee after gang leader threatens to kill them
Thousands of people fled their homes in northwestern Nigeria this week after the leader of one of the armed gangs in the region ordered them out in retaliation for a security raid, officials and resid...
www.reuters.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Terrorist tactics by criminal organizations.
The bandits striking fear in Nigeria (like groups in other regions) blur lines between conflict and crime. But it remains important to understand group types, group motivations, to find best policies to reduce violence.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
The bandits striking fear in Nigeria (like groups in other regions) blur lines between conflict and crime. But it remains important to understand group types, group motivations, to find best policies to reduce violence.
www.reuters.com/world/africa...
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
Do as I say, not as I do. "State Department Threatens UK Over Grok Investigation, Because Only The US Is Allowed To Ban Foreign Apps" www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/s...
State Department Threatens UK Over Grok Investigation, Because Only The US Is Allowed To Ban Foreign Apps
So let me get this straight. The United States government spent years championing a ban on TikTok, rushed it through the Supreme Court with claims of grave national security threats, got a 9-0 ruli…
www.techdirt.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Do as I say, not as I do. "State Department Threatens UK Over Grok Investigation, Because Only The US Is Allowed To Ban Foreign Apps" www.techdirt.com/2026/01/15/s...
Also Iran! And stopping immigration from 75 countries. And
I don't know about all of you, but I am finding it difficult to process Venezuela, Greenland, Minneapolis, and the Fed all at once.
January 14, 2026 at 9:20 PM
Also Iran! And stopping immigration from 75 countries. And
The US has designated the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Material support becomes a felony in the US, up to 20 years in prison.
US also lists Jordanian and Egyptian MB branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a less powerful label.
US also lists Jordanian and Egyptian MB branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a less powerful label.
January 14, 2026 at 8:21 PM
The US has designated the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Material support becomes a felony in the US, up to 20 years in prison.
US also lists Jordanian and Egyptian MB branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a less powerful label.
US also lists Jordanian and Egyptian MB branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, a less powerful label.
Come to lovely Essex this summer! The oldest research methods summer school in Europe, I believe
☀️ Applications for ESS 2026 are OPEN! ☀️
Join us next summer for the Essex Summer School - intensive courses, expert teaching, and a global research community.
Read more in our January newsletter:
🔗https://bit.ly/49kMfWD
Join us next summer for the Essex Summer School - intensive courses, expert teaching, and a global research community.
Read more in our January newsletter:
🔗https://bit.ly/49kMfWD
January 14, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Come to lovely Essex this summer! The oldest research methods summer school in Europe, I believe
The school run this morning. Damp but lovely.
January 14, 2026 at 10:51 AM
The school run this morning. Damp but lovely.
The suspect in the Mississippi synagogue arson told the judge, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
It’s the state’s largest synagogue, and it was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
“Suspect in Mississippi synagogue fire laughed as he confessed to his dad”
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/12/m...
It’s the state’s largest synagogue, and it was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
“Suspect in Mississippi synagogue fire laughed as he confessed to his dad”
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/12/m...
Suspect in Mississippi synagogue fire laughed as he confessed to his dad, authorities say - Mississippi Today
The man suspected of setting fire to Mississippi’s largest synagogue allegedly confessed his crimes to law enforcement and referred to the building in northeast Jackson as the “synagogue of Satan,” ac...
mississippitoday.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:14 PM
The suspect in the Mississippi synagogue arson told the judge, “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
It’s the state’s largest synagogue, and it was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
“Suspect in Mississippi synagogue fire laughed as he confessed to his dad”
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/12/m...
It’s the state’s largest synagogue, and it was bombed by the KKK in 1967.
“Suspect in Mississippi synagogue fire laughed as he confessed to his dad”
mississippitoday.org/2026/01/12/m...
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
This will get Elon’s attention. Population of 280 million, high social media use. On top of Malaysia’s (pop 36 million) ban. Who’s next?
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Move comes after governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned the AI tool and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content
Indonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.
The move comes after governments, researchers and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content on the app. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:56 AM
This will get Elon’s attention. Population of 280 million, high social media use. On top of Malaysia’s (pop 36 million) ban. Who’s next?
Canadian friends! 🍁 If you subscribe to Globe and Mail, check this article.
I think it's a good review of an important topic, and not just because it quotes me. :)
Canada now proscribes 90 "terrorist entities," including crime orgs first listed by USA.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
I think it's a good review of an important topic, and not just because it quotes me. :)
Canada now proscribes 90 "terrorist entities," including crime orgs first listed by USA.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Law experts question Ottawa’s terrorism designations for crime groups
Experts say listing organized crime groups such as Mexican drug cartels could distract officials from preventing mass terrorist attacks
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 12, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Canadian friends! 🍁 If you subscribe to Globe and Mail, check this article.
I think it's a good review of an important topic, and not just because it quotes me. :)
Canada now proscribes 90 "terrorist entities," including crime orgs first listed by USA.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
I think it's a good review of an important topic, and not just because it quotes me. :)
Canada now proscribes 90 "terrorist entities," including crime orgs first listed by USA.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
Commentary from @theconversation.com:
"This evisceration of local journalism leads to ever-expanding news deserts across the country, where tens of millions of Americans are living in areas with little or no local news media whatsoever."
"This evisceration of local journalism leads to ever-expanding news deserts across the country, where tens of millions of Americans are living in areas with little or no local news media whatsoever."
Why the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s closure exposes a growing threat to democracy • Pennsylvania Capital-Star
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced on Jan. 7, 2026, that it will cease all operations ...
penncapital-star.com
January 12, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Commentary from @theconversation.com:
"This evisceration of local journalism leads to ever-expanding news deserts across the country, where tens of millions of Americans are living in areas with little or no local news media whatsoever."
"This evisceration of local journalism leads to ever-expanding news deserts across the country, where tens of millions of Americans are living in areas with little or no local news media whatsoever."
This will get Elon’s attention. Population of 280 million, high social media use. On top of Malaysia’s (pop 36 million) ban. Who’s next?
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Indonesia blocks Musk’s Grok chatbot due to risk of pornographic content
Move comes after governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned the AI tool and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content
Indonesia temporarily blocked Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot on Saturday due to the risk of AI-generated pornographic content, becoming the first country to deny access to the AI tool.
The move comes after governments, researchers and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexualised content on the app. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:56 AM
This will get Elon’s attention. Population of 280 million, high social media use. On top of Malaysia’s (pop 36 million) ban. Who’s next?
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
The Norwegian Nobel Prize committee has been forced to make a statement, declaring that the prize cannot be transferred.
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
January 10, 2026 at 9:15 AM
The Norwegian Nobel Prize committee has been forced to make a statement, declaring that the prize cannot be transferred.
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
I hope this isn't what it looks like. The mother of one of Musk's kids, who was being degraded by nonconsensual nudified images (incl of her while underage) -- and who had the audacity to speak up about it -- just posted a screenshot showing her account being demonetized.
January 8, 2026 at 8:28 PM
I hope this isn't what it looks like. The mother of one of Musk's kids, who was being degraded by nonconsensual nudified images (incl of her while underage) -- and who had the audacity to speak up about it -- just posted a screenshot showing her account being demonetized.
U.S. higher education lost at least 9,000 jobs in 2025. Federal budget cuts, fewer international students, etc. www.insidehighered.com/news/busines...
December Cuts Close Out Brutal Year for Sector
With around 300 reported job cuts last month, the higher education sector shed at least 9,000 positions across 2025, a year marked by federal policy uncertainty and rising costs.
www.insidehighered.com
January 8, 2026 at 12:59 PM
U.S. higher education lost at least 9,000 jobs in 2025. Federal budget cuts, fewer international students, etc. www.insidehighered.com/news/busines...
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
Using imagery online of the shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, we’ve created an animated sequence which highlights the approximate positioning of officers and vehicles at the scene. The red dot represents the agent who fired the shots. Yellow dots are other agents who arrived at the scene.
January 7, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Using imagery online of the shooting by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, we’ve created an animated sequence which highlights the approximate positioning of officers and vehicles at the scene. The red dot represents the agent who fired the shots. Yellow dots are other agents who arrived at the scene.
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
Here is a masterly presentation of the numerous armed groups in Venezuela that may be jockeying for power. It highlights the horizontal rifts and the vertical ones between the localized colectivo paramilitaries and the regime.
theconversation.com/venezuelas-c...
theconversation.com/venezuelas-c...
Venezuela’s civil-military alliance is being stretched — if it breaks, numerous armed groups may be drawn into messy split
How various factions respond to the Trump administration’s threat to be the de facto ruler of the country could quickly inflame domestic tensions and lead to conflict.
theconversation.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Here is a masterly presentation of the numerous armed groups in Venezuela that may be jockeying for power. It highlights the horizontal rifts and the vertical ones between the localized colectivo paramilitaries and the regime.
theconversation.com/venezuelas-c...
theconversation.com/venezuelas-c...
Sad day for a good city, and for democracy
January 7, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Sad day for a good city, and for democracy
Interested in armed conflict and/or languages in African countries? Sign up to get invited to the MCCRA monthly virtual workshop series!
Thanks for sharing with people who might be interested.
Thanks for sharing with people who might be interested.
📣We're launching the MCCRA research workshop series!
🎓The inaugural talk, 27 January at 2pm UK time, will be by Prof. Kristian Gleditsch.
✏️Sign up below to get invited to our monthly online research talks on armed conflict and/or language in African countries.
forms.office.com/e/k16YaHVH1U
🎓The inaugural talk, 27 January at 2pm UK time, will be by Prof. Kristian Gleditsch.
✏️Sign up below to get invited to our monthly online research talks on armed conflict and/or language in African countries.
forms.office.com/e/k16YaHVH1U
Microsoft Forms
forms.office.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Interested in armed conflict and/or languages in African countries? Sign up to get invited to the MCCRA monthly virtual workshop series!
Thanks for sharing with people who might be interested.
Thanks for sharing with people who might be interested.
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
Amid a big agency push to use AI models in weather prediction, the National Weather Service shared a forecast map riddled with spelling mistakes, non-existent locations and other geographical errors.
‘Whata Bod’: An AI-generated NWS map invented fake towns in Idaho
Amid a big agency push to use AI models in weather prediction, an AI-generated forecast graphic with errors was pulled from NWS sites.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 7, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Amid a big agency push to use AI models in weather prediction, the National Weather Service shared a forecast map riddled with spelling mistakes, non-existent locations and other geographical errors.
Yet the “group” remains a designated “Foreign Terrorist Organization”
Justice Dept. Drops Claim That Venezuela’s ‘Cartel de los Soles’ Is an Actual Group
Justice Dept. Drops Claim That Venezuela’s ‘Cartel de los Soles’ Is an Actual Group
www.nytimes.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Yet the “group” remains a designated “Foreign Terrorist Organization”
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
🎓 New paper in Political Studies (@polstudies.bsky.social)
I examine whether there are gendered differences in how people
• evaluate the Bank of England’s performance in controlling, &
• perceive and react to inflation more broadly.
🔗 Open access: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
tltr? 🧵👇
I examine whether there are gendered differences in how people
• evaluate the Bank of England’s performance in controlling, &
• perceive and react to inflation more broadly.
🔗 Open access: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
tltr? 🧵👇
January 6, 2026 at 4:21 PM
🎓 New paper in Political Studies (@polstudies.bsky.social)
I examine whether there are gendered differences in how people
• evaluate the Bank of England’s performance in controlling, &
• perceive and react to inflation more broadly.
🔗 Open access: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
tltr? 🧵👇
I examine whether there are gendered differences in how people
• evaluate the Bank of England’s performance in controlling, &
• perceive and react to inflation more broadly.
🔗 Open access: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
tltr? 🧵👇
Reposted by Brian J. Phillips
If the DEA had killed 80 innocent Americans in the course of apprehending one drug dealer, there would be riots. But we are so ghoulishly indifferent to the lives and humanity of people abroad that it's barely even part of the conversation.
A reminder that the US killed 80 people in Venezuela, and it would be nice if the US media cared enough to think that the life of a grandmother in Caracas whose building is destroyed by a US bomb matters as much as the life of a person in the US.
January 5, 2026 at 8:57 PM
If the DEA had killed 80 innocent Americans in the course of apprehending one drug dealer, there would be riots. But we are so ghoulishly indifferent to the lives and humanity of people abroad that it's barely even part of the conversation.