Western Extremism Project

The Western Extremism Project Data Collection is a web database designed to study Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist offenders, violent far-right extremists, Neo-nazis, Incels/violent misogynists, and other violent extremist ideologies in Western Europe, the Antipodes, Canada, and the United States. Since its inception in 2006, the data collection has grown into an integrated relational database based in PostgreSQL that uses a web-based administrative framework for data input and editing. The database is hosted on a dedicated server maintained by Brandeis University's Information Technology Service, and was originally funded by the National Institute of Justice, The MINERVA Initiative, and the National Science Foundation, among others. Its SQL-format facilitates integration of quantitative and qualitative data for both internal investigations and projects contracted by external partners in the National Security research realm. Data is gathered from publicly available, open source documents including government reports/press releases, court documents, news articles, social media posts, and audio-visual files. Information is then manually entered into the database by research assistants who are trained in both a coding scheme unique to the WEP and in how to differentiate appropriate and legitimate sources from false ones. To be included in the data collection, individuals have either (1) been the subject of legal action related to terrorism or extremist ideologies in a Western court, (2) died committing a terrorist act, (3) been publicly identified as a terrorist by being listed on an international watchlist, or (4) self-identified with a listed group or plot. The lab's data has been used to inform 40+ publications, and several lab alumni have gone on to work for numerous prestigious institutions in international affairs and security, including the FBI, CIA, DOD, DOJ, DHS, NYPD, and various reputable research institutions in the field.