Marta Furlan | University of St Andrews (original) (raw)

Marta Furlan

PhD candidate at the Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews. Writing PhD thesis on governance by Salafi-Jihadist insurgents.
Supervisors: Dr Henning Tamm and Prof Bruce Hoffman

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Papers by Marta Furlan

Research paper thumbnail of Rebel Governance at the Time of Covid-19: Emergencies as Opportunities for Rebel Rulers

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 2020

As Covid-19 has spread worldwide, not only governments but also rebel rulers have had to face the... more As Covid-19 has spread worldwide, not only governments but also rebel rulers have had to face the crisis. Therefore, it is important to understand whether exogenous shocks pose to rebel rulers the same challenges they pose to governments. To answer this question, I will refer to the academic literature and I will study two insurgent groups that have been confronted by coronavirus – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Taliban. Following the case studies, I will argue that while emergencies pose great challenges to governments, they provide rebel rulers with an opportunity to project themselves as more credible and legitimate rulers.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding Governance by Insurgent Non-State Actors: A Multi-Dimensional Typology

Civil Wars, 2020

The phenomenon of governance by insurgents characterises many contexts of civil war and influence... more The phenomenon of governance by insurgents characterises many contexts of civil war and influences political, security, social, and economic dynamics in the original conflict zone and beyond. Therefore, understanding how different insurgents govern seems of crucial importance. However, in the existing literature no typology has been advanced that captures the multiple dimensions of rebel governance and allows to develop detailed and comparable assessments of the different patterns of rule implemented by different rebels. Considering this gap a limit to the study of insurgent governance, the present paper aims to propose a multi-dimensional typology for investigating how rebels govern.

Research paper thumbnail of Israeli-Saudi Relations in a Changed and Changing Middle East

Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, 2019

In the years since the so-called Arab Spring, the geopolitical and geostrategic map of the Middle... more In the years since the so-called Arab Spring, the geopolitical and geostrategic map of the Middle East has witnessed dramatic changes. Against the backdrop of these developments, many regional powers have reconsidered their traditional policies and relations in the region. An especially interesting case is that of Israel and Saudi Arabia: Since the Arab Spring, the coordination and cooperation between Jerusalem and Riyadh have both expanded and deepened.
With this observation as our point of departure, we shall investigate how new shared interests and concerns have brought about opportunities for cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. At the same time, we will investigate the extent to which Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Palestinians might continue to obstruct the emergence of fully normalized bilateral relations. In order to do so, we shall examine statements by Israeli and Saudi officials and non-official reports.

Research paper thumbnail of The Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Financing of Terrorism

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 2020

As terrorist groups proliferate worldwide, a worrisome phenomenon is being increasingly observed:... more As terrorist groups proliferate worldwide, a worrisome
phenomenon is being increasingly observed: the tendency
of terrorist actors to exploit natural resources in order
to finance their activities, given the advantages that this
source of revenue offers vis-à-vis the available alternatives.
Confronted with this phenomenon, it becomes imperative to
advance the discussion on terrorists' exploitation of natural
resources in the framework of a broader effort to counter the
financing of terrorism. This paper has thus a three-fold aim:
shed light on the under-investigated phenomenon of how terrorism
finances itself through the illegal exploitation of natural
resources, present the answer to the problem that has been
elaborated within the legal system of the United Nations (UN),
propose additional measures that can contribute to countering
the exploitation of natural resources by terrorist actors.

Books by Marta Furlan

Research paper thumbnail of Chapter - Quando i Terroristi Governano

L' Evoluzione del Terrorismo Islamico, Davide Fiammenghi editore, 2020

Il presente capitolo si propone di fare luce sulle attività di governo alle quali un crescente nu... more Il presente capitolo si propone di fare luce sulle attività di
governo alle quali un crescente numero di gruppi terroristici
di matrice salafita-jihadista si è dedicato in seguito alle
Primavere arabe del 2011, quando lo scoppio di guerre civili
e la diffusione di vuoti di potere in numerosi Stati della
regione mediorientale hanno consentito a questi gruppi
di muovere a rapidi passi verso la creazione di un sistema
sociopolitico improntato ai princìpi della dottrina salafita-
jihadista.

Research paper thumbnail of Rebel Governance at the Time of Covid-19: Emergencies as Opportunities for Rebel Rulers

Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, 2020

As Covid-19 has spread worldwide, not only governments but also rebel rulers have had to face the... more As Covid-19 has spread worldwide, not only governments but also rebel rulers have had to face the crisis. Therefore, it is important to understand whether exogenous shocks pose to rebel rulers the same challenges they pose to governments. To answer this question, I will refer to the academic literature and I will study two insurgent groups that have been confronted by coronavirus – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Taliban. Following the case studies, I will argue that while emergencies pose great challenges to governments, they provide rebel rulers with an opportunity to project themselves as more credible and legitimate rulers.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding Governance by Insurgent Non-State Actors: A Multi-Dimensional Typology

Civil Wars, 2020

The phenomenon of governance by insurgents characterises many contexts of civil war and influence... more The phenomenon of governance by insurgents characterises many contexts of civil war and influences political, security, social, and economic dynamics in the original conflict zone and beyond. Therefore, understanding how different insurgents govern seems of crucial importance. However, in the existing literature no typology has been advanced that captures the multiple dimensions of rebel governance and allows to develop detailed and comparable assessments of the different patterns of rule implemented by different rebels. Considering this gap a limit to the study of insurgent governance, the present paper aims to propose a multi-dimensional typology for investigating how rebels govern.

Research paper thumbnail of Israeli-Saudi Relations in a Changed and Changing Middle East

Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, 2019

In the years since the so-called Arab Spring, the geopolitical and geostrategic map of the Middle... more In the years since the so-called Arab Spring, the geopolitical and geostrategic map of the Middle East has witnessed dramatic changes. Against the backdrop of these developments, many regional powers have reconsidered their traditional policies and relations in the region. An especially interesting case is that of Israel and Saudi Arabia: Since the Arab Spring, the coordination and cooperation between Jerusalem and Riyadh have both expanded and deepened.
With this observation as our point of departure, we shall investigate how new shared interests and concerns have brought about opportunities for cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. At the same time, we will investigate the extent to which Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Palestinians might continue to obstruct the emergence of fully normalized bilateral relations. In order to do so, we shall examine statements by Israeli and Saudi officials and non-official reports.

Research paper thumbnail of The Exploitation of Natural Resources in the Financing of Terrorism

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 2020

As terrorist groups proliferate worldwide, a worrisome phenomenon is being increasingly observed:... more As terrorist groups proliferate worldwide, a worrisome
phenomenon is being increasingly observed: the tendency
of terrorist actors to exploit natural resources in order
to finance their activities, given the advantages that this
source of revenue offers vis-à-vis the available alternatives.
Confronted with this phenomenon, it becomes imperative to
advance the discussion on terrorists' exploitation of natural
resources in the framework of a broader effort to counter the
financing of terrorism. This paper has thus a three-fold aim:
shed light on the under-investigated phenomenon of how terrorism
finances itself through the illegal exploitation of natural
resources, present the answer to the problem that has been
elaborated within the legal system of the United Nations (UN),
propose additional measures that can contribute to countering
the exploitation of natural resources by terrorist actors.

Research paper thumbnail of Chapter - Quando i Terroristi Governano

L' Evoluzione del Terrorismo Islamico, Davide Fiammenghi editore, 2020

Il presente capitolo si propone di fare luce sulle attività di governo alle quali un crescente nu... more Il presente capitolo si propone di fare luce sulle attività di
governo alle quali un crescente numero di gruppi terroristici
di matrice salafita-jihadista si è dedicato in seguito alle
Primavere arabe del 2011, quando lo scoppio di guerre civili
e la diffusione di vuoti di potere in numerosi Stati della
regione mediorientale hanno consentito a questi gruppi
di muovere a rapidi passi verso la creazione di un sistema
sociopolitico improntato ai princìpi della dottrina salafita-
jihadista.

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