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Your search for Alexander Powell found 14 results.

Understanding Gender and Violent

/reports/2021/04/understanding-gender-and-violent

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict – Stability and Humanitarian Affairs (OASD (SO/LIC-SHA)) asked CNA to study the role of women and gender in both violent extremist organizations (VEOs) and US counterterrorism (CT) and counter violent extremism (CVE) operations (hereafter CT/CVE). Our research demonstrates that the dominant stereotypes about women’s roles in VEOs miss the vast majority of female activity in these groups and fundamentally fail to capture women’s lived experiences. Despite the passage of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) legislation in the US, we found that internal DOD activities that are truly gender considered are severely limited, lack nuance, and are not institutionalized. External US CT/CVE efforts do not consider the roles men or women play from a nuanced perspective, and they are disproportionately influenced by a set of gender stereotypes that shape expectations of men and women’s roles. Much of the current DOD approach can be traced to misunderstanding gender as a concept. This report provides an analysis of the gaps, risks, and opportunities for the Department of Defense (DOD) on understanding women and gender in extremism, and integrating a gender considered approach to CT/CVE.

/Gender-VEPageImage.jpg Countering Threats and Challenges DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. 232 DRM-2021-U-029105-1Rev Julia McQuaid Emily Mushen Alexander Powell William

Putting Innovation into Practice

/reports/2020/09/putting-innovation-into-practice

Innovation is a key enabling concept in the 2018 National Defense Strategy. Not only does the US military need to continue to maintain effectiveness in military operations, but in the face of a new competitive environment, and the increasing importance of commercial technology, the US will need to practice innovation to maintain a military edge and meet national security goals. The critical role of innovation is repeated throughout the NDS. But what can the US do to pursue effective innovation? And what is innovation anyway? We examine innovation through consideration of specific military examples—both historical and contemporary—as well as examining academic literature and past CNA products addressing innovation. After developing a functional definition of innovation, we provide best practices and principles that DOD can apply in order to put innovation into practice.

DOP-2020-U-027949-Final Diane Vavrichek Alexander Powell Bradley Dickey Ciro Lopez

cna talks: The Easter Sunday Bombings

/our-media/podcasts/cna-talks/2019/5/the-easter-sunday-bombings

Nilanthi Samaranayake and Alexander Powell join CNA Talks to discuss the tragic terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka. Nilanthi provides necessary cultural context discussing the ethnic and religious makeup of the country, and points out that most Sri Lanka observers did not expect to see an attack targeting Christians.  Alexander then compares the attack to ISIS actions in other countries in South East Asia. Finally, they both discuss how Sri Lanka might move forward politically and economically.

The Easter Sunday Bombings Nilanthi Samaranayake and Alexander Powell join CNA Talks to discuss the tragic terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka. Nilanthi provides necessary cultural context discussing the ethnic and religious makeup of the country, and points out that most Sri Lanka observers did not expect to see an attack targeting Christians.  Alexander then compares the attack ... investigated Sri Lanka's deepening ties with China. Alexander Powell   is an expert on terrorist group tactics, counterterrorism, and special operations forces (SOF). Regionally, he focuses

cna talks: A New Vision for Special Operations Forces

/our-media/podcasts/cna-talks/2022/06/a-new-vision-for-special-operations-forces

Since the start of the global war on terror in 2001, U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) have been laser-focused on counterterrorism. But as the Department of Defense shifts its priorities to great-power competition Special Operations Command (SOCOM), is adapting to fit this new mission. In this episode of CNA Talks, experts on Special Operations Forces sit down to discuss the Special Operations Command’s Vision and Strategy document.

and Challenges Program and a former Vice Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. Alexander Powell  is a Research Scientist with CNA’s Countering Threats and Challenges Program. He is an expert