Initiative for the Study of Emerging Threats (ISET)

A diverse group of people stands in a brightly lit room, smiling for a photo in front of Canadian, UN, and U.S. flags.

Initiative for the Study of Emerging Threats (ISET)

Amidst evolving technology, declining democratic norms, aggression by state and non-state actors, and severe climate and health crises, the world faces complex security challenges. The Initiative for the Study of Emerging Threats (ISET) brings together faculty members, students, partners and stakeholders to consider and prepare for challenges lurking on the horizon.

What We Do

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ISET designs rigorous curriculum and hands-on learning experiences for CGA’s two Masters degree programs, engages in peer-reviewed research and timely commentary, holds roundtables and other public events.

Key themes for ISET work: The changing conduct of war ● Disinformation and malign influence ● Trends and technologies in violent extremism ● Radicalization and rehabilitation of terrorists and foreign fighters ● Cyber-conflict and cybercrime ● Transnational crime, including trafficking and money laundering ● Corruption's impact on aid, development, and governance ● Energy, climate change, and resource scarcity ● Respect for human rights and privacy in security responses and new technologies.

Journal Articles and Policy Reports

2023

African Wars in the 21st Century: Economic and Security Determinants for a Stable Africa. Workshop Report, New York University Center for the Study of Africa and the African Diaspora.

2021- 2022

 

Delton, Andrew D., Kane, John V., Petersen, Michael Bang, Roberts, Theresa E. and Cosmides, Leda (2022) “Partisans Use Emotions as Social Pressure: Feeling Anger and Gratitude at Exiters and Recruits in Political Groups” Party Politics.

 

Activating Animus: The Uniquely Social Roots of Trump Support.” American Political Science Review.

On Re-engagement and Risk Factors.” Terrorism & Political Violence.

The US-NATO Relationship: The Cost of Maintaining Political Pressure on Allies.” Georgetown Journal of International Affairs.

2017-2020
2014- 2016

 Walking Away: The Disengagement and De-radicalization of a Violent Right Wing Extremist." Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism & Political Aggression.

Books

The Future of Global Affairs: Managing Discontinuity, Disruption, and Destruction. Palgrave Macmillan.

After the Caliphate: The Islamic State & the Future of Terrorist Diaspora. Wiley.

The Cyber Threat and Globalization: The Impact on US National and International Security. Rowman and Littlefield.

Terrorism, Inc.: The Financing of Terrorism, Insurgency and Irregular Warfare. Praeger.

Pivotal Countries, Alternate Futures: Using Scenarios to Manage American Strategy. Oxford University Press.

The Politics of Civil-Military Cooperation: Canada in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Palgrave Macmillan.

Book Chapters

A Gendered Dimension in Understanding Armed Banditry in Northwest Nigeria: Vulnerability and Involvement” in Ojo, J. S., Oyewole, S., & Aina, F. (eds.) Armed Banditry in Nigeria: Evolution, Dynamics, and Trajectories, Palgrave Macmillan.

Chapter 2: Hard Times Ahead for US Soft Power.” In Soft Power and the Future of US Foreign Policy. Pp. 25-42.

"The Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Regime", in P.D. Williams and Matt McDonald, eds., Security Studies: An Introduction. 4th edition. Taylor & Francis.

Weapons of Mass Destruction” in Thomas G. Weiss and Rorden Wilkinson, eds., International Organization and Global Governance, (3rd edition). Routledge.

“The Accidental Global Peacekeeper” in Manu Bhagwan, ed., India and the Cold War. UNC Press.

 

“Regional Peace and Security” in Simon Chesterman and Ben Saul, eds., Oxford Handbook for International Law in Asia. Oxford University Press.

“Regional Groups and Alliances”, in Thomas G. Weiss and Sam Daws, eds., The Oxford Handbook on the United Nations. (2nd edition). Oxford University Press.

"Non-Proliferation and Disarmament", in J. K. Cogan, I. Hurd and I. Johnstone, eds., The Oxford Handbook of International Organizations. Oxford University Press.

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Managing Proliferation" in S. von Einsiedel, D. M. Malone, and B. S. Ugarte, eds., The UN Security Council in the 21st Century. Lynne Rienner.

Op-Eds and Other Publications

Empowering "We the peoples" in the UN's 75th Year”, IPI Global Observatory.

CGA Scenarios Initiative

A group of people in a conference room having a meeting around a large table with laptops and notes.

Imagining the future in key global hot spots

The Scenarios Initiative began with a grant from the Carnegie Corporation to study the future of countries pivotal to U.S. interests. The grant led to Michael Oppenheimer’s book “Pivotal Countries, Alternate Futures”, published by Oxford University Press. The initiative now consists of a course, “The Future of International Relations”, several student scenario projects, and a report on Alternate Scenarios for the Future Terrorism Landscape in Afghanistan, done by Professor Oppenheimer and CGA students for the UN’s Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate. A strong futures orientation characterizes much of the research and course work across CGA concentrations.

Message From Leadership

Mary Beth Altier

Mary Beth Altier, MA, PhD
Director and Clinical Professor

Welcome! The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and yet, we are currently witnessing nation-states turning inward rather than outward. Yet, threats like terrorism, climate change, pandemics, cyberattacks, biological and nuclear weapons, refugee flows, and corruption require innovative solutions and international cooperation. How do we anticipate and thwart new and emerging threats in an increasingly complex global order?

The Initiative for the Study of Emerging Threats (ISET) follows the broader mission of the NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs in seeking not just to catalog and to describe the world's challenges, but to play an active, imaginative, and positive role in creating practical solutions to them. ISET draws upon an extraordinary and inspiring faculty, the efforts of a diverse and entrepreneurial group of graduate students and alumni, and the resources of New York University, one of the most well respected and globally connected institutions of higher learning in the world.

This is a new and ambitious endeavor and inevitably a work in progress, constantly evolving, forever exploring new risks and new strategies to prevent, minimize, or resolve them. We look forward to working with you in that mission.

 

Our Team and Affiliates

Faculty
Mary Beth Altier
Mary Beth Altier

Clinical Professor, Center For Global Affairs

Christopher Ankersen
Christopher Ankersen

Clinical Professor, Center For Global Affairs

Olajumoke Ayandele
Olajumoke Ayandele

Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor, Center For Global Affairs

David Gutschmit
David Gutschmit

Adjunct Instructor, Center For Global Affairs

Thomas Hill
Thomas Hill

Clinical Professor, Center For Global Affairs

John Kane
John Kane

Clinical Associate Professor, Center For Global Affairs

Joshua Kransa
Joshua Kransa

Adjunct Associate Professor, Center for Global Affairs Director, Center for Emerging Energy Politics in the Middle East Foreign Policy Research Institute

Michael Oppenheimer
Michael Oppenheimer

Clinical Professor, Center For Global Affairs

Nicholas S. Reese
Nicholas S. Reese

Adjunct Instructor, Center for Global Affairs | Co-founder, Frontier Foundry

Daniel J. Rogers
Daniel J. Rogers

CEO, iVerify Founder | Director, The Global Disinformation Index

W.P.S. Sidhu
W.P.S. Sidhu

Clinical Professor, Center For Global Affairs

Affiliates
Andrew S. Bowen
Andrew S. Bowen

Affiliate: Analyst in Russian and European Affairs, Congressional Research Service

Colin P. Clarke
Colin P. Clarke

Affiliate: Director of Research, The Soufan Group

Ana Davila
Ana Davila

Affiliate: Head of Financial Crime Intelligence, Stripe

Alex Goldenberg
Alex Goldenberg

Affiliate: Director of Intelligence, Network Contagion Research Institute

Christian Honeywood
Christian Honeywood

Affiliate: Financial Intelligence Unit Director, BNY Mellon

Alex Kobray
Alex Kobray

Affiliate: Vice President, Intelligence, Flashpoint

Lukas Meija
Lukas Meija

Affiliate: Threat Context Lead, Microsoft

Michaela Millender
Michaela Millender

Affiliate: Researcher

Samuel Powers
Samuel Powers

Affiliate: Vice President, Kharon; Co-founder, Lens on Life Project