Flagler professor heading to Israel to study terrorism

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a non-partisan policy institute headquartered in Washington, D.C., announced to Historic City News in St Augustine that Will Miller, a professor of public administration at Flagler College, has been named an academic fellow for 2013-14.

Miller will travel to Israel next month for an intensive course in terrorism studies, and in particular, how democracies can defeat the worldwide terrorist threat.

“As a country, we have again seen just this week the dire impact acts of terrorism can have on members of our society,” said Miller. “My experiences in learning will allow me to return to the classroom and my research better able to help search for answers that could expedite the elimination of threats to our country – from both domestic and international enemies.”

The Academic Fellows program provides a 10-day learning experience to US-based teaching and research professionals to give them cutting edge information about defeating terrorist groups. The program will be conducted at Tel Aviv University and includes lectures by academics, military and intelligence officials, as well as diplomats from Israel, Jordan, India and the United States. It also includes “hands on” experience through visits to police, customs and immigration facilities, military bases and border zones to learn the practical side of deterring and defeating terrorists.

Miller is currently working with University of Akron professor Karl Kaltenthaler and Georgetown University professor Christine Fair on an 18-month study funded by the US Department of State to better understand the relationship between media consumption in Pakistan and beliefs about the legitimacy of Islamist violence.