Fatima’s research interests lie at the intersection of political violence and security, and specifically terrorism, civil conflict and insurgencies. In her research, she explores the phenomenon of splintering in terrorist organizations, seeking to understand what happens after a faction breaks off from its parent organization, and why some splinter groups are more violent than others. Using a mixed-method research design, she argues that terrorist organizations have different internal reasons for splitting, which determine the future behavior of the emerging groups. Fatima also has a regional focus on South Asia both with respect to political violence but also more broadly. Prior to joining the SIS doctoral program, Fatima earned an MA in international relations from Queen Mary, University of London, where her thesis investigated the ethics of drone warfare.
