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Gina Vale

@ginavale.bsky.social
270 followers 577 following 30 posts

Lecturer of Criminology @University of Southampton 📘 Author: "The Unforgotten Women of the Islamic State" OxUniPress 2024 Associate/Fellow @ICCT_TheHague & @Vox_Pol Study #terrorism, #extremism, #gender, #youth ✉️ gina.vale@soton.ac.uk Usual caveats

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Reposted by Gina Vale
Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
This article from @ginavale.bsky.social is a stark reminder of how poorly our current frameworks cope with the realities of children’s lives online. 🔗 tinyurl.com/5abeufcj 🧵👇 #counterterrorism #extremismstudies #youthradicalisation
tinyurl.com
Online Terrorist Exploitation: Responding to Children as Victims and Perpetrators - VOX - Pol
By Gina Vale In December 2021, terrorism charges against a 14-year-old British girl were dropped—not due to lack of engagement with extremist networks, but on account of the power dynamics of her digi...
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Thanks so much Lizzie, I'm glad to see it out in the 'wild' too! ☺️
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
My research calls for a fundamental shift in how policymakers, practitioners, and scholars understand children's vulnerability to radicalisation—one that centres their protection while maintaining community safety. I welcome your thoughts and engagement with this work 🤓
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
3) My participants highlight significant barriers to implementing such an approach—from legal frameworks that prioritise security over welfare, to institutional resistance, resource constraints, and the complexities of online environments.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
2) I advocate for a cross-harm approach, breaking down siloed responses between counter-terrorism and child protection. Effective safeguarding requires coordinated action across both fields.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Key contributions: 1) I propose conceptualising online extremist recruitment as a form of child criminal exploitation. Drawing parallels with county lines + sexual exploitation, I highlight how children are groomed and exploited in digital spaces for ideological gains.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
I apply an #exploitation lens to children's recruitment and engagement in terrorism/violent extremism online, drawing from 30 interviews + 2 workshops with experts across #counterterrorism, #antislavery, #childprotection + #digitalsecurity.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
🗣️ New year, new publication! ✍ I'm delighted to share my new article, "Exploited for the Cause?: The Potential for a Cross-Harm Approach to Children's Online Engagement in Terrorism," published #openaccess in the British Journal of Criminology: doi.org/10.1093/bjc/...
doi.org
Exploited for the Cause?: The Potential for a Cross-Harm Approach to Children’s Online Engagement in Terrorism
Abstract. The traditional intersection of exploitation and terrorism lies within armed conflict, whereby individuals are subjected to physical abuses for f
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Reposted by Gina Vale
Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
🚨 Call for Papers! @alexphelan.bsky.social and I are excited to announce the call for papers for our upcoming special issue on "Learning from Insurgent-Run Education" for Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, please share widely. Proposal deadline is 8 January 2026, and full details below 👇
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
We welcome submissions from scholars, policymakers, and practitioners—especially those from the Global South and under-represented or minority groups. Both empirical and theoretical contributions drawing on political science, IR, and related disciplines are encouraged 🎉🤓
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
This special issue invites researchers to analyse the varied forms of insurgent-led education and to consider what these practices reveal about conflict dynamics, relations between civilians and militants, and processes of long-term recovery.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Across diverse #conflict-affected settings, insurgencies have developed complex #education systems that influence local #governance, identity, & post-war pathways. These systems shed light on how armed actors construct legitimacy and anchor themselves within communities.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
🚨 Call for Papers! @alexphelan.bsky.social and I are excited to announce the call for papers for our upcoming special issue on "Learning from Insurgent-Run Education" for Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, please share widely. Proposal deadline is 8 January 2026, and full details below 👇
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
A must-read article by my fab-u-lous colleague @ashkingdon.bsky.social examining the mechanisms and implications of #environmental #governance competition of non-state actors from 2010-2025! 🥳🤓👇
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
I was delighted to join Miranda Melcher of the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about my book 'The Unforgotten Women of the #IslamicState'. We talked all things intra-gendered governance and local civilian women's acts of survival & resistance 💪 Have a listen 👇 newbooksnetwork.com/the-unforgot...
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Reposted by Gina Vale
John Horgan @johnhorgan.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
All thanks to you @ginavale.bsky.social for your *phenomenal* contribution with Hannah Rose on the framings of child terrorism offenders. This essential paper is available #OpenAccess www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Firm Convictions?: Unpicking Framings of Child Terrorism Offenders
No longer confined to conflict theatres nor the periphery of adult-led organisations, recent years have seen a sharp rise in domestic cases of independent teenage attack-plotters, self-initiated tr...
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Reposted by Gina Vale
John Horgan @johnhorgan.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
The entire special issue on terrorist motivation has just been published, with several pieces #openaccess. Check it out. www.tandfonline.com/toc/ftpv20/3...
tandfonline.com
Terrorism and Political Violence
Revisiting Terrorist Motivation, Guest Edited by John Horgan and Max Taylor. Volume 37, Issue 7 of Terrorism and Political Violence
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Huge thanks owed to @johnhorgan.bsky.social & Max Taylor for including our work in the special issue, and to James Forest in the publication process. Highly recommend checking out the whole special issue, it's a fantastic line-up, so grateful to be part of it! www.tandfonline.com/toc/ftpv20/3...
tandfonline.com
Terrorism and Political Violence
Revisiting Terrorist Motivation, Guest Edited by John Horgan and Max Taylor. Volume 37, Issue 7 of Terrorism and Political Violence
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
These framings feed #safeguarding vs. #securitisation responses that fail to adequately respond to the nuanced realities of children's #radicalisation pathways: e.g. children can be informed AND ignorant, or self-initiated AND susceptible to influence /4
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
We identified 6 key framings at sentencing: maturity, ideological commitment, thrill-seeking, intentionality, socialisation, and adverse childhood experiences & neurodiversity. All of these draw on youth stereotypes to either over- or under-ascribe agency and terroristic motivation /3
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
We analyse the mitigating and aggravating factors at sentencing for 43 cases of #children convicted of #terrorism offences in England & Wales. Key finding: the exceptionalism of the "child terrorist" as either unknowingly naive victims or monstrous perpetrators /2
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
📢 New publication! Really pleased to share part 2 of Childhood Innocence Project with @hannahbrose.bsky.social: "Firm Convictions?: Unpicking Framings of Child #Terrorism Offenders" published in new @terpolv.bsky.social special issue on terrorist motivations /1 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
Already another update to the Childhood Innocence project dataset with @hannahbrose.bsky.social. Now 57 #children convicted of #terrorism offences in England & Wales since 2016. Latest case is an Islamist boy who plotted a gun #attack & planned travel to #Somalia. icsr.info/childhood-in...
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
This case highlights crucial gaps in the UK's #counterterrorism apparatus, which is ineffective to prevent and respond to non-ideological risks. But, any broader violence prevention approach must take care to balance national security with children's #safeguarding needs /end.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Like #Rudakubana, the prosecution found no evidence that the Cwmbran boy had an ideology that would fit the legal definition of #terrorism. Thus he cannot be charged with preparing an act of terrorism. He pleaded guilty to one charge (possession of AQ doc) & awaits sentencing /3.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
The 17-year-old boy from Cwmbran openly praised #Rudakubana, possessed the same #alQaeda training manual, researched knives, and claimed to have tried to make ricin (since denied). He planned to attack the first #Oasis reunion concert & a dance school near his home /2
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Breaking my social media hiatus to share update of Childhood Innocence Project w. @hannahbrose.bsky.social. Now 56 #children convicted of #terrorism offences in England & Wales since 2016. Latest case is #Southport copy-cat who planned a "Rudakubana-style attack" /1 t.co/o6lqAMJTs3
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Le Rubicon @lerubicon.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
L'article de Gina Vale (@ginavale.bsky.social) porte sur la place des femmes présente dans l'État islamique, mais aussi dans la société civile afin de mettre en avant la domination qu’elles subissent. ▶️ lerubicon.org/diviser-pour...
lerubicon.org
Diviser pour mieux régner : la stratégie et l’héritage durable de la gouvernance des femmes civiles par l’État islamique
Plus de dix ans se sont écoulés depuis l’établissement du soi-disant « califat » par le groupe État islamique (EI/Daech) en Irak et en Syrie. À son apogée, l’EI gouvernait une population de plus de 11...
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International Centre for Counter-Terrorism @icct.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
How did the #IS use #gendered oppression to secure power? @ginavale.bsky.social’s analysis dives into how IS #governance divided local #women, stratifying rights and roles to serve their #ideology. Read more ➡️ buff.ly/o37bBcX
buff.ly
Divide and Conquer: The Strategy and Enduring Legacy of Islamic State’s Governance of Civilian Women
This article includes excerpts from The Unforgotten Women of the Islamic State, published by Oxford University Press in September 2024.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Sharing Childhood Innocence Project here for first time. @hannahbrose.bsky.social and I tracked, compiled & analysed cases of #children (u-18s) convicted of #terrorism offences in England & Wales since 2016. Our live update reaches total 55 cases & includes a second girl 👇 icsr.info/childhood-in...
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Due to be sentenced today - Farishta Jami convicted of 2 counts of preparing acts of #terrorism for planned travel for herself and children to join #IslamicState KP in #Afghanistan. Interestingly, she had researched weaponry incl. (dis/)assembly of AK47 www.counterterrorism.police.uk/warwickshire...
counterterrorism.police.uk
Warwickshire woman guilty of terrorism offences | Counter Terrorism Policing
A Warwickshire woman has today been found guilty of terrorism offences after she planned to travel to join Daesh in Afghanistan.   Farishta Jami, aged 36 from Stratford-upon-Avon, was convicted of two...
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Great opportunity for the PhD summer school in Oslo 9-13 June 2025 with @crexuio.bsky.social and VOX-Pol - led by the amazing @audreygagnon.bsky.social and Nicola Mathieson. Details below! 👇
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The Washington Institute for Near East Policy @washinstitute.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Institute expert @azelin.bsky.social wrote the book on HTS. Check it out: www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analy...
washingtoninstitute.org
The Age of Political Jihadism: A Study of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
The Syria-based group now functions more like a government than a nonstate actor, portending a reorientation for the larger jihadist movement.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Please can you add me? ☺️
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme request received for Axel Rudakubana #SouthportAttack. I'm curious to know the grounds for petition. Horrific case, but the fact that the offender was a minor (even if only 9 days short of 18th bday) automatically negates whole-life tariff www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme request received for Axel Rudakubana
The Law Officers have received a request to consider the sentence of Axel Rudakubana under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
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Reposted by Gina Vale
Elizabeth Pearson @lizzypearson.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
The answer isn’t to broaden what terrorism is - it’s to refer people capable of violence to the right services. Prevent wasn’t the right service in this case.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Finally moved to BlueSky, what a day to have chosen... Axel Rudakubana sentenced to life with minimum 52 years for #Southport attack. So many unanswered questions regarding motivation, role of #terrorist material in planning, and missed opportunities for intervention www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Southport murders: Axel Rudakubana jailed for at least 52 years
Axel Rudakubana is handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 52 years for the dance class attack.
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Gina Vale @ginavale.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
I've finally sorted myself out and joined the BlueSky party - please can I be added to the SSPC staff list? ☺️
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