Book launch and panel
Resilience after terrorist attacks
- Date
- Wednesday 10 December 2025
- Time
- Explanation
- Participation is free, but registration is required
- Address
-
Schouwburgstraat
Schouwburgstraat 2
2511 VA The Hague - Room
- 0.06
We are delighted to invite you to the launch of The Aftermath: Societal and Political Responses to Jihadist Terrorism, a compelling new work by Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn (Oxford University Press). This book explores what comes after terrorist attacks, zooming in on the process of meaning-making and how authorities and citizens respond via frames, rituals and symbols.
Why does resilience matter? Because the true power of terrorism lies not only in the act itself, but in the way societies respond. This book shows how citizens and institutions can choose to reclaim space, reaffirm values and rebuild together rather than succumb to fear.
The launch event will start with a short presentation by De Roy van Zuijdewijn, followed by an expert panel. We are honoured to welcome Wieke Vink, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) of the Ministry of Justice & Security to the panel.
Attendees will receive the book during the session.
Programme
15:15 hrs Registration open
15:45 hrs Opening by Prof. dr. Michael Kowalski, Chief Science Officer, Dean of the NCTV Academy and professor at Leiden University
15:55 hrs Presentation by Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn, assistant professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs on The Aftermath: Political and Societal Responses to Terrorism
16:10 hrs Panel on resilience after terrorist attacks.
Moderator: Prof. dr. Edwin Bakker, professor in terrorism studies at Leiden University, Speakers: Wieke Vink, National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security & Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn, Assistant Professor at Leiden University.
17:00 hrs Q&A with the public
17:15 hrs Drinks reception
Speakers
Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn
Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs of Leiden University. She has a background in Liberal Arts & Sciences (BA) and History of International Relations (MA – cum laude) and completed a PhD on responses to terrorism in 2021.
Michael Kowalski
Michael Kowalski is parttime Special Professor of Applied Ethics in Intelligence and Security. This special professorship is endowed by the Dutch National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV).
Edwin Bakker
Edwin Bakker is professor in Terrorism and Counterterrorism at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs in The Hague. His fields of research are radicalisation, jihadi terrorism and in particular profiles of (jihadi) terrorists. In addition, his research is focussed on dealing with (fear of) terrorism and the policy implications in this field.
Wieke Vink
Wieke Vink is Acting National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) and director Counterterrorism, Civil Aviation Security, Governance, Risk & Compliance and Operations.
About the book
Terrorist attacks are a means to an end. Terrorists use violence to spread fear and garner attention in order to achieve political or ideological goals. Beyond the direct damage, the societal and political responses of different audiences largely determine the impact of an attack. How different audiences respond to terrorism remains understudied, which hampers our ability to understand the extent to which terrorism can be considered (un)successful.
This book provides an in-depth examination of responses to jihadist terrorism in four countries: Belgium, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Introducing one of the most comprehensive qualitative datasets on the topic, Jeanine de Roy van Zuijdewijn explores the patterns of responses, raises questions about the efficacy of terrorism as a violent communication strategy, and formulates concrete recommendations for policymakers and professionals working to increase resilience and limit the impact of terrorism on societies. She shows how some responses from authorities and citizens were well-choreographed, with solidarity and unity leading the charge, while other attacks revealed deep polarization and division. Ultimately, the book zooms in on the process of meaning-making: how authorities and citizens attempted to place the attacks in a larger interpretive framework by way of using frames, rituals, and symbols directly after and around the first anniversary of the attacks.
Combining insights and concepts from various academic disciplines with an empirically driven approach, this book offers an in-depth look at the impact of terrorist attacks to understand how societies are dealing with one of the most pressing security threats of today.
Register here
Participation is free, but registration is required. Please note: this is an English-language event.
Registration