logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2017
25m 53s

"Is he Muslim?"

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode

In a five year period from 2011 to 2016, just twelve percent of terrorist attacks in the United States were perpetrated by Muslims. More than fifty percent, on the other hand, were carried out by Neo-Nazis, white supremacists, or other far right groups. So why do Americans spend so much time worrying about "radical Islamic terrorism?" This week on Hidden Brain, we look at how the media over-covers some acts of terrorism — and quickly forgets others. We also look at some of the psychological reasons we have a hard time putting the threat of terrorism in perspective.

Up next
Oct 6
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 2
When things go wrong in our relationships, we often try to change the way our partners behave. But usually, trying to fix a person only makes things worse. Last week, we talked to psychologist James Cordova about why this tendency can be so damaging, and what to do instead. This ... Show More
1h 44m
Sep 29
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1
Many love stories end when the characters are still in the heady, euphoric early stages of a relationship. But what comes after that intoxicating first phase of love is over? Today, we kick off a new series on the challenges specific to long-term relationships. We'll talk with ps ... Show More
1h 41m
Sep 22
Passion vs. Paycheck
The idea of being driven by a calling goes back centuries. It was the language used to describe religious people who were called to the priesthood. Today, millions of people in secular professions yearn to be similarly galvanized by their work. This week, researcher Jennifer Tost ... Show More
53m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2021
E157. Jesse Morton Regrets Being A Terrorist
Jesse Morton was once an American born, jihadist propagandist who ran Revolution Muslim, a New York City-based organization active in the 2000s and connected to a number of terrorism cases. He and Bridget talk about his upbringing, how he discovered Islam and the process of his r ... Show More
2h 23m
Mar 2024
Is the World Prepared for More Terrorism?
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the recent attack in Moscow that killed at least 139 people. It was the country’s deadliest terrorist attack in more than a decade. Why did the Islamic State choose Russia as a target? And what does this mean for terrorism globally?Cou ... Show More
40m 10s
Dec 2015
How many Muslim Terrorists are there vs others
We’ll be talking about San bernardino and the 3rd shooter, along with the increase in hate crimes and where do Muslims stand amongst the over 180,000 killings in America that have happened since 9/11 with Prof. Omer M. Mozaffar 
38m 20s
Sep 2021
Counterterrorism Twenty Years after 9/11
Twenty years after the deadly terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, how has the global terrorist threat, and American strategy against it, evolved? And what lessons can we learn from the successes and failures of U.S. counterterrorism policy as we enter the third decade since ... Show More
37m 11s
May 2023
Le jihadisme européen: un phénomène enraciné?
Depuis le 11 septembre 2001, près de 150 attentats islamistes ont été commis en Europe, de Madrid à Paris, de Londres à Berlin, en passant par Bruxelles ou Stockholm. Bilan : quelque 800 morts, près de 5 000 blessés... Depuis l’effondrement de Daech et la perte de son califat aut ... Show More
50 m
Apr 2019
The Terrorist Attacks in Sri Lanka
A series of highly coordinated bombings in Sri Lanka has left more than 350 people dead. How did a small, obscure and underfinanced local group carry out one of the deadliest terrorist attacks since 9/11? Guest: Jeffrey Gettleman, the South Asia bureau chief for The New York Time ... Show More
19m 50s
Feb 2022
TV | THE WAR ON TERROR: ARE WE STILL FIGHTING?
It's been over 20 years since America launched the War On Terror, and the effort to combat radical Islamic terrorism appears now to be an afterthought. Have ISIS, al Qaeda, and the rogue states that form the axis of radical Islam ceased to be a threat? Or has the United States ju ... Show More
42m 10s
Nov 2013
Getting into a terrorist’s mind (SOP3)
Figuring out what makes a terrorist tick is not easy, but law enforcement and counterterrorism officials have been turning to psychologists to try to do just that. Psychologist John Horgan, PhD, has spoken face-to-face with former members of violent extremist organizations in an ... Show More
8m 51s
Feb 2017
Islam Is Neither An Identity Movement Nor A Race: It's A Faith, A Diverse Idea - 2/4/17
Dr. Jasser revisits the hysteria behind the executive order on immigration from Terror hotspots. He confronts the exploitation of Muslims for the self-serving identity politics of the left. Join Zuhdi as he exposes the hypocrisy behind the left's cooperation with the far-right Is ... Show More
54m 27s