INTERVIEW WITH DR. JOHN HORGAN: COMPLICATED FACTORS OF INDIVIDUALS’ ENGAGEMENT IN AND DISENGAGEMENT FROM TERRORISM

John Horgan is Distinguished University Professor at Georgia State University’s Department of Psychology. A psychologist by training, his research focuses on terrorist behavior. His work is widely published, with his critically acclaimed book, ‘The Psychology of Terrorism’ available in over a dozen languages worldwide. Dr. Horgan’s research focuses on psychological issues in terrorism and political violence. He is especially interested in understandings the processes through which people become involved in and disengage from terrorism, as well as the psychological mechanisms through which people cope with involvement in terrorist activity. His current projects involve the development of interventions to counter terrorist recruitment. In May of 2025, Dr. Horgan received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. His most recent book is Terrorist Minds: The Psychology of Violent Extremism from al Qaeda to the Far Right, published by Columbia University Press.