HYBRIS - Hybrid Trajectories of Transnational Islamism

Principal investigator: Ester Sigillò

The HYBRIS project aims to explore how Islamic activism is evolving in today's increasingly interconnected world. Focusing on the transnational dimension of this phenomenon, the project analyzes two prominent North African Islamist movements: the Tunisian Ennahda and the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). 

By examining how these movements adapt to new geopolitical environments, HYBRIS will shed light on the extent to which transnational networks shape their ideologies and strategies. Additionally, the project will investigate the contextual variations that arise when activists relocate, providing a nuanced understanding of their evolution. 

Research Objectives: 

HYBRIS is structured around five key objectives, each designed to deepen our understanding of transformation and hybridization within Islamist movements: 

1. Mapping the Trajectories of Islamist Movements: 
   Exploring how transnational networks between Islamist activists facilitate the spread of shared ideologies and practices across borders. 

1. Investigating Forms of Hybridization: 
   Analyzing how Islamist movements incorporate ideas from other movements—such as feminist, human rights, and environmental causes—to appeal to broader audiences. 

1. The Role of Digital Spaces in Islamic Activism: 
   Examining how digital media empowers Islamist activists, particularly in repressive environments, enabling them to communicate and mobilize beyond state control. 

1. Understanding the Dynamics of Relocation: 
   Investigating how Islamist movements adapt to new environments by merging their objectives with local political issues, such as anti-corruption efforts. 

1. The Impact of Hybridization on Political Positioning: 
   Assessing how the hybridization of ideologies is transforming Islamist movements' political strategies and influence in Tunisia, Algeria, and beyond. 

Website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101107902 

Department components 

Alice Mattoni, project’s supervisor

Other components 

The New School for Social Research, New York 

SciencesPo (Center for International Studies, CERI), Paris 

First publications related to the project 

Ester Sigillo', European Islam and the ‘Identity Challenge’: Exploring the Nexus between Integration Policies and Radicalization, in: Composite identities. Percorsi tra cinema, teatro, letteratura, musica, scienze sociali e politiche., Milano, LED Edizioni Universitarie, 2023, pp. 153 - 165 [capitolo di libro] 

Ester Sigillo', Salafis’ hybrid trajectories of socio-political engagement in Tunisia and Algeria. A social movement perspective, «MEDITERRANEAN POLITICS», 2024, first online, pp. 1 - 22 [articolo] 

Scheduled Conferences for Presenting Preliminary Project Results 

• Midwest Political Science Association General Conference, April 2025, Chicago 

• EISA, The Pan-European Conference on International Relations. 25-29 August 2025, University of Bologna, Italy 

• Società Italiana di Scienza Politica, Convegno annuale, September 2025, Naples 

• Middle East Studies Association, General Conference, November 22-25, Washington DC