معرفی
Professor Ian Linden serves as a Visiting Professor at St Mary's University, Strawberry Hill and sits on the Las Casas Institute Advisory Board. His current research focuses on the psychology of the extremist mind, building upon decades of historical work examining religion and conflict—particularly in Africa. A former CEO of the Catholic Institute for International Relations and member of the Christian-Muslim Forum, he was honored with a CMG in 2000 for human rights contributions.
Linden's scholarly expertise spans religion-conflict dynamics, African religious history, and Catholic Church studies. His research trajectory evolved from colonial-era religious politics in Nyasaland (Malawi) and Rwanda to contemporary analyses of global Catholicism and extremism. Recent work integrates historical methodology with psychological analysis of radicalization, evident in his 2025 blog posts addressing Gaza, religious extremism, and geopolitical tensions.
His publication history reveals consistent engagement with church-state relations across Africa, from Chewa resistance in Nyasaland (1974) through Rwandan genocide analysis (2001) to modern Nigerian Islam studies (1984). Current scholarly output demonstrates adaptation to emerging threats, with 2025 blog posts examining Trump-era politics, Ukraine conflict, and religious dimensions of contemporary warfare.
- CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George) for human rights work
Linden maintains active public scholarship through his comprehensive website featuring 200+ blog posts (2016-2025) addressing current events through religious-historical lens. His advisory role with the Las Casas Institute connects academic work to practical interfaith initiatives, while St Mary's affiliation facilitates engagement with theological education. Recent blogs indicate ongoing field research on extremist psychology, particularly regarding Gaza conflict and religious nationalism.
Based in Suffolk, England, Linden's work bridges academic scholarship and public discourse through regular commentary on BBC and in The Guardian. His unique position as historian-turned-extremism-analyst provides continuity between historical religious conflicts and contemporary security challenges.
