Countering Violent Extremism by Winning Hearts and Minds

Since 9/11, the United States and its allies have been waging an endless War on Terror to counter violent extremism by “winning hearts and minds,” particularly in Afghanistan. However, violent extremism remains on the rise worldwide.

The effort and sacrifice of the War on Terror have been continually undermined by actions, narratives, and policies that many of the 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide perceive as Islamophobic. Incidents of Islamophobia on the part of Western governments, media, and civilians, whether intentional or unintentional, alienate the majority of Muslims who are law-abiding and would be key allies in the fight against violent extremism. In Afghanistan, for example, violent extremist groups portray U.S. and NATO forces as blasphemous, anti-Muslim invaders to frighten Afghan villagers into compliance. A similar perception weakens domestic countering violent extremism programs in the West that rely on cooperation with Muslim communities.   

As theGreat Powers Competition emerges among the U.S., Russia, and China, America and the West can ill afford any further impairment in their counterterrorism strategy. The dangers of Islamophobia must be recognized and eradicated immediately.

In Countering Violent Extremism by Winning Hearts and Minds, Adib Farhadi demonstrates how Islamophobia poses a threat to U.S. national security by utilizing historical context, statistical analysis, and in-depth case studies. Farhadi, who headed Afghanistan’s National Development Strategy, describes how Koran burnings, anti-Islamic rhetoric, and racial profiling harm relationships with the majority of Muslims who are not involved in violent extremism and thus perpetuate the War on Terror.  

America has sacrificed thousands of lives and has spent more than $6 trillion on the War on Terror. It can ill afford to squander more valuable resources in a strategy undermined by Islamophobia or perception of Islamophobia. As Farhadi explains, only through a reconciliatory narrative, can we work toward a shared future where violent extremism is eradicated.

This book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and executives who are invested in maintaining and rebuilding American credibility essential to global security and peace.

Dr. Adib Farhadi is an Assistant Professor of Peace & Conflict and Faculty Director of Executive Education at University of South Florida. He is a recognized global leader in fragile and post-conflict states with more than 20 years of experience in stabilization, reconstruction, counterinsurgency and economic development.

Dr. Farhadi teaches courses related to peace and conflict, countering violent extremism and international political economy.  His research has focused on countering violent extremism, computational analytical modelling of conflict & regional economic integration, and peace & reconciliation in Afghanistan and the wider region. 

Dr. Adib Farhadi previously served as the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Executive Director of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) for the Afghan Government.  He also has extensively advised the U.S. Government, World Bank and served as the Head of Secretariat of United Nation’s Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) in Afghanistan. Drawing from his extensive experience in government, international organizations, and the private sector, Dr. Farhadi brings a unique policy-practitioner’s perspective to the study of peace & conflict, security studies and political economy.

Dr. Farhadi earned a B.S. from East Carolina University, an M.A. from New York University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Canberra. He has been a visiting scholar in the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Canberra, Institute for Governance & Policy Analysis. 

He also directs University of South Florida’s Executive Education Program, where he teaches courses on topics such as executive leadership, strategic negotiations, conflict resolution, countering violent extremism, conflict resolution and cross-cultural communication.