Status reports – unTERROR

Project’s status report:

01.01.2021.–31.03.2021.

Implementation of the project’s first phase: systematising the knowledge base for future project implementation; analysing the literature; looking at theoretical concepts and notions to develop FHM and identify possible theoretical gaps;
Two papers were prepared and read;
Two publications (abstracts and a scientific article) were prepared;
An appearance (interview) on a podcast was made;
The project website (www.unterror.com) was created; information boards were placed, and five social networking sites were set up.

01.04.2021.–30.06.2021.

Work continued on the project’s first phase, systematising the knowledge base for further project implementation, analysing the theoretical literature, looking at theoretical concepts and notions that can be used to develop FHM, and identifying possible theoretical gaps;
Work has been carried out to formulate the theoretical basis for FHM, clarifying the main outlines, and developing a plan for the main output of the first phase – a scientific publication.
Participation in the digital visit of the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, where the progress of the Republic of Latvia in implementing UN Security Council resolutions was assessed. Māris Kūlis informed the UN experts about terrorism research in Latvia and presented the project idea.
Published apopular science article on the new change of leadership of two terrorist organisations;
Participation in a discussion on the conflict between Palestine and Israel.
Participation in a Scientists’ Night event, “Nose”, presenting the idea of the project in a popular scientific way.

01.07.2021.–30.09.2021.

Continued work to systematise the knowledge base for the future implementation of the project by examining the basic principles of FHM at a theoretical level, looking at insights from phenomenology and hermeneutics and applying them to the problems and objectives of terrorism research.
Work on the formulation of the theoretical basis of FHM is underway, based on the previously developed plan.
Participation in a discussion organised by the Latvian Ministry of Defence with minister Artis Pabriks and political scientist Toms Rostoks on the risks of modern threats, including terrorism (sargs.lv).
Interview with journalist Guntars Laganovskis for the Latvijas Vēstnesis portal, discussing modern threats (lvportals.lv).
Interview with Māris Zanders published in the University of Latvia magazine Alma Mater.
Prepared for publishing the first five encyclopaedic articles on terrorism, terror, the history of terrorism, etc., for Wikipedia.

01.10.2021.–31.12.2021.

Continued to systematise the knowledge base for the further implementation of the project by discussing the basic principles of FHM at a theoretical level, looking at the insights of phenomenology and hermeneutics and applying them to the problems and objectives of terrorism research.
Started work on the next phase, the experimental phase, in which communication materials produced by terrorist organisations will be analysed to test the principles of FHM and find further interpretable themes in the texts.
A scientific article has been published in the journal/collection “Cultural Studies”.
Published an article on the Delfi web portal “Spoku valsts Afganistāna=Ghost State Afghanistan”, analysing the situation in Afghanistan as Western forces retreat and the risks of terrorism increase.
Interview published in the UL journal Alma Mater 2021/4 and in the science section of the Delfi web portal Campus.
Participation in the Radicalisation Awareness Network Communication and Narratives Working Group event “Conspiracy Narratives: Current State and Future Expectations for P/CVE in Europe”, which analysed the development and causes of conspiracy theories and radicalisation.
Peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Became a senior researcher at the institution, obtained the status of an expert of the LZP, and been invited to participate in the doctoral thesis defence procedure as a member of the doctoral thesis committee.
Published 9 Wikipedia articles on terrorism, terrorism research, critical terrorism research, war on terrorism, Islamic terrorism, Al-Qaeda, political Islam, radical Islam, counter-terrorism in Latvian.

01.01.2022.–31.03.2022.

Work continues on the second phase of the project, the pilot phase: analysing communication materials produced by terrorist organisations to test FHM principles and find themes in the texts that can be further interpreted. The theoretical explorations developed in the first phase are still ongoing and will accompany the entire project.
Participation in the podcast “Experimental Conversations”, which also dealt with terrorism, truth and lies, and propaganda.
Participated in two conferences at the 80th International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia. On March 8th in session “Pandēmijas, epidēmijas un stihiskās nelaimes Āzijas un Tuvo Austrumu kultūrvidē = Pandemics, Epidemics and Natural Disasters in Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures” was presented paper “Šausmu un baiļu fenomens: vīrusa pandēmijas terorizējošā iedaba = Fenomenon of Terror and Fear: Terrorising Nature of the Pandemic of Virus” and on March 3rd in session “Kritiskās domāšanas iespējas un robežas mūsdienu Latvijā = Possibilites and Borders of Critical Thinking in Modern Latvia” was presented paper “Dialoga un kritikas neiespējamība iekšējo konfliktu draudos: woke vs base = Impossibility of Dialogue and Criticism in the Threat of Internal Conflicts: Woke vs Base”.
On the basis of both papers, articles are being prepared and will be submitted at the beginning of the next reporting period. In the meantime, the abstract of one paper has already been published.
The postdoctoral fellow is a member of the dissertation committee and participates in the defence of the dissertation by assessing the compliance of the dissertation with the dissertation requirements.
The postdoctoral fellow is a member of the dissertation committee and participates in defence of the dissertation by assessing the compliance of the dissertation with the dissertation requirements.

01.04.2022.–30.06.2022.

Work continues on the second phase of the project. This experimental phase analyses communication materials produced by terrorist organisations to test the principles of FHM and find themes in the texts that can be further interpreted. The theoretical research developed in the first phase is still ongoing and will accompany the whole project. A mid-term report on the project was produced during the reporting period.
A guest lecture on “Terrorism research: methods, concepts, problems” was given at Daugavpils University to international students.
Presentation “Phenomenological Approach to Terrorism and Terror: Problems and Prospects” in Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University plenary session “Kyiv Philosophy Studies 2022” organised by Faculty of History and Philosophy, Department of Philosophy with the participation of the Institute of Philosophy named after G.S.Skovoroda of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
In the reporting period the main research article on the main outlines, meaning and application of the phenomenological-hermeneutic methodology was completed.

01.07.2022.–30.09.2022.

Work continued on the second phase of the project, the experimental phase.
Participation in preparing three different FLPP project proposals, including the complete preparation of one project.
Continued studying scientific literature and preparing scientific articles.