Containing the Islamic State – a revolutionary approach

The event explores ideas on how the Islamic State should be contained beyond the existing narrow counter-terrorism lens through which it is viewed by the West. Stephen Walt, Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School, argues that the “Islamic State” is best understood as a revolutionary state-building organisation, in many ways similar to earlier revolutionary movements such as the Jacobins, Bolsheviks, Khmer Rouge, or the Khomeinist movement. He explains why he believes that regional actors should take the lead role.