Marco Nilsson

Assistant Professor of Political Science
Department of Natural and Social Sciences , School of Education and Communication
Associate Professor of Political Science
Research Leader of SUS - Sustainable Societies
Presentation Publications

Research

Marco Nilsson leads the research environment Sustainable Societies (SUS) at the School of Education and Communication. His research addresses issues of social movements and violent conflicts in international politics. He has conducted research on, for example, Swedish jihadists and interstate wars, but also on Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and labor market integration of refugees in Sweden. He currently conducts research on Islamic organizations in Sweden and, with financing from The Swedish Center for Preventing Violent Extremism (CVE), on protective factors against radicalization. He has written more than 30 scientific articles and four books. The lates one, Jihadism in Scandinavia (2022), summarizes several years of fieldwork with active and former jihadists.

Biography

Marco Nilsson is an Associate Professor of political science at the School of Education and Communication. From 2010 to 2014 he was employed as a senior lecturer of political science at the University of Gothenburg. Nilsson received his Ph.D. degree in political science at the University of Gothenburg in 2010 and before that he received MA degrees in political science both from Duke University (2005) and Purdue University (2002).

Article

Nilsson, M. (2025). The crime-terrorism nexus and jihadism in Sweden: Explaining connections, recruitment strategies, and risks Perspectives on Terrorism, XIX(3), 89-104. More information
Nilsson, M. (2025). Politikerhoten är allvarliga för demokratin Jönköpings-Posten, 6 maj Jönköping: Hall Media . More information
Bejermi, A., Nilsson, M. (2025). Changing patterns of media consumption: Palestinian diaspora and citizen journalism during the war in Gaza Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, 18(1), 61-81. More information
Nilsson, M., Winman, T. (2025). JU-forskare: Det innebär utspelet om att det inte är fred Jönköpings-Posten, 15 januari Jönköping: Hall Media . More information
Nilsson, M. (2025). “Aren’t You Tired of Talking?” – Priming Men and Women into Violence through Gateway Organizations Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 48(7), 719-740. More information
Bajramović, R., Nilsson, M. (2025). Identity management by multiple identification: religious leaders and EU integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 33(1), 104-120. More information
Nilsson, M., Esholdt, H. (2025). After the Caliphate: Changing Mobilization in the Swedish Salafi-Jihadist Environment following the Fall of ISIS Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 48(5), 463-484. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Kommer al-Qaida få Nobels fredspris nu? Exprtessen. More information
Nilsson, M., Bejermi, A. (2024). Suède: «Comment les groupes djihadistes cherchent à surfer sur la guerre à Gaza pour recruter de nouveaux membres» FigaroVox. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). ”Vad krävs för att Sverige ska dras in i konflikten?” Aftonbladet. More information
Bergkvist, F., Nilsson, M. (2024). Expert: Netanyahus plan ökar risken för krig med Hizbollah Dagens Nyheter, 24 juni. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Det stora antalet civila dödsoffer göder hämndbegär och terrorism Göteborgs-Posten, 13 juni. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Tala klarspråk – även israeler utför terrorism: Terrorforskare: Svenska medier och politiker borde vara konsekventa Aftonbladet. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Varför ökar Gazakriget hotet mot Sverige från al-Qaida? Jönköpings-Posten, 13 januari, 20 Jönköping: Hall Media . More information
Nilsson, M., Escobar, K., Ahl, H. (2024). Labour market integration of refugees in Sweden: Analysing the interactions of CSOs at different levels Journal of ethnic and migration studies, 50(6), 1317-1335. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Jihad and heroic hypermasculinity: Recruitment strategies, battlefield experiences, and returning home Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). ”Vi måste knäcka gängen för att stoppa terroristerna” Dagens Nyheter, 26 mars, 5. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Går det att veta när Putin inte längre bluffar om kärnvapen? Göteborgs-Posten, 14 mars. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Stöd till Ukraina kan förebygga nya krig Svenska Dagbladet, 29 februari, 4. More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Detta innebär krigsplacering i Jönköping Jönköpings-Posten, 21 februari Jönköping: Hall Media . More information
Nilsson, M., Bejermi, A. (2023). Attaque terroriste à Bruxelles: pourquoi la Suède est devenue la cible des islamistes FigaroVox. More information
Aktaş, V., Nilsson, M., Kindap Tepe, Y. (2023). Gendered aspects of policies to fight the COVID-19 outbreak Humanitas, 11(22), 42-64. More information
Nilsson, M. (2023). Var ligger terrorhotet mot Sverige i dag? Jönköping-Posten, 20 Jönköping: Hallpressen . More information
Borell, K., Nilsson, M. (2023). Turkey’s universities face a troubled future Research Professional News. More information
Nilsson, M. (2023). Var försiktig när du reser – men inte rädd: Terrorforskare: Terroristerna hoppas att rädslan ska påverka vårt land Aftonbladet. More information
Nilsson, M. (2023). Jihad after the Fall of IS: Reframing the Apocalyptic Narrative Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 1-24. More information
Jaresand, W., Nilsson, M. (2023). Female combat commanders of the YPJ and political agency – framing the fight on their own terms Critical Military Studies, 9(4), 532-550. More information
Nilsson, M. (2022). Motivations for Jihad and Cognitive Dissonance: A Qualitative Analysis of Former Swedish Jihadists Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 45(1), 92-110. More information
Nilsson, S., Stenport, V., Nilsson, M., Göthberg, C. (2022). A retrospective clinical study of fixed tooth- and implant-supported prostheses in titanium and cobalt-chromium-ceramic: 5–9-year follow-up Clinical Oral Investigations, 26, 6097-6103. More information
Nilsson, M., Esmaiel, L. (2021). Kurdish women and TV journalism in Iraqi Kurdistan: Experiences and strategies Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, 14(2), 169-188. More information
Nilsson, M. (2021). The Magnitude of Warfare Revisited: System Polarity and War Duration Journal of Strategic Security, 14(2), 25-46. More information
Nilsson, M. (2021). Jihadiship: From radical behavior to radical beliefs Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 44(3), 181-197. More information
Nilsson, M., Badran, D. (2021). Conflicts and Relative Deprivation in Ein El Hilweh: Palestinian Refugees in the Shadow of the Syrian Civil War The Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(1), 453-473. More information
Nilsson, M., Badran, D. (2021). Surviving seemingly endless refugeeship—Social representations and strategies of Palestinian refugees in Ein El Hilweh The Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(3), 3423-3441. More information
Nilsson, M. (2020). Hezbollah and the Framing of Resistance Third World Quarterly, 41(9), 1595-1614. More information
Nilsson, M. (2020). Vad är terrorism? Ikaros - Tidskift om människan och vetenskapen, 16(1), 8-9 Åbo . More information
Aktaş, V., Nilsson, M., Borell, K., Persson, R. (2020). Taking to the streets: A study of the street academy in Ankara British Journal of Educational Studies, 68(3), 365-388. More information
Aktaş, V., Nilsson, M., Borell, K. (2019). Social scientists under threat: Resistance and self-censorship in Turkish academia British Journal of Educational Studies, 67(2), 169-186. More information
Borell, K., Nilsson, M., Aktaş, V. (2019). Den akademiska friheten i Turkiet har snöpts Sans Magasin, 1, 30-35. More information
Borell, K., Nilsson, M. (2019). Debatt: Samhällsvetenskaperna och den akademiska friheten i Turkiet: Massavskedanden, resignation och motstånd Sociologisk forskning, 56(3-4), 311-317. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). Hard and soft targets: the lethality of suicide terrorism Journal of International Relations and Development, 21(1), 101-117. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). Kurdish Women in the Kurdish-Turkish Conflict: Perceptions, Experiences, and Strategies Middle Eastern Studies, 54(4), 638-651. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). The logic of suicide terrorism: Does regime type affect the choice of targets? Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 10(2), 176-185. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). Causal Beliefs and War Termination: Religion and Rational Choice in the Iran-Iraq War Journal of Peace Research, 55(1), 94-106. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). Primary unit cohesion among the Peshmerga and Hezbollah Armed forces and society, 44(4), 647-665. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). Muslim Mothers in Ground Combat Against the Islamic State: Women’s Identities and Social Change in Iraqi Kurdistan Armed forces and society, 44(2), 261-279. More information
Nilsson, M. (2018). Interviewing Jihadists: On the Importance of Drinking Tea and Other Methodological Considerations Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 41(6), 419-432. More information
Nilsson, M. (2017). Vägen till jihad Modern Psykologi. More information
Josefsson, T., Nilsson, M., Borell, K. (2017). Muslims opposing violent radicalism and extremism: Strategies of Swedish Sufi communities Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 37(2), 183-195. More information
Nilsson, M. (2016). Mental strategies for fighting the IS: A field study of the Peshmerga soldiers in Northern Iraq Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 39(11), 1007-1018. More information
Nilsson, M. (2015). Foreign Fighters and the Radicalization of Local Jihad: Interview Evidence from Swedish Jihadists Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 38(5), 343-358. More information
Nilsson, M. (2012). Offense-Defense Balance, War Duration, and the Security Dilemma Journal of Conflict Resolution, 56(3), 467-489. More information

Book

Nilsson, M. (2022). Jihadism in Scandinavia: Motivations, Experiences, and Change. More information
Hjerm, M., Lindgren, S., Nilsson, M. (2014). Introduktion till samhällsvetenskaplig analys. Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB More information
Nilsson, M. (2013). Juridik i professionellt lärarskap: lagar och värdegrund in den svenska skolan. Malmö: Gleerups Utbildning AB More information

Doctoral thesis

Nilsson, M. (2010). War and Unreason: Bounded Learning Theory and War Duration (Doctoral thesis). Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg More information

Book chapter

Nilsson, M. (2025). Kriget i Gaza har fått oväntade konsekvenser för svensk jihadism. In: Årsbok Center mot våldsbejakande extermism 2024/2025 (pp. 18 -23). Stockholm: Center mot våldsbejakande extremism (CVE More information
Nilsson, M. (2024). Islam, apokalypsi ja jihadismi. In: Niko Huttunen & Elina Kahla (Ed.), Apokalypsi nyt! Perikadon politiikka (pp. 67 -90). Helsinki: Kirkon tutkimus ja koulutus More information
Nilsson, M. (2020). Scandinavian Jihad. In: Tom Smith &Hussein Solomon (Ed.), Exporting Global Jihad, Volume One: Critical perspectives from Africa and Europe (pp. 187 -204). More information
Nilsson, M. (2019). You only die once: Döden i Islamiska staten. In: Stefan Marling (Ed.), Shakespeare, Bergman och döden: Romateaterns Shakespearesymposium 2018 (pp. 69 -74). Göteborg & Stockholm: Makadam Förlag More information

Review

Nilsson, M. (2024). The mother, the politician, and the guerilla. More information
Nilsson, M. (2017). Review of the book: A Sociology of the Total Organization: Atomistic Unity in the French Foreign Legion by Mikaela Sundberg. More information

Conference paper

Aktaş, V., Tepe, Y., Nilsson, M., Persson, R. (2022). Mültecilere yönelik tutumlar üzerine kültürlerarası bir çalışma [A cross-cultural study on attitudes towards refugees]. 21. Ulusal Psikoloji Kongresi, 13-16 Ekim 2022, Doğuş Üniversitesi, Çengelköy Yerleşkesi, İstanbul, Türkiye [21. National Psychology Congress, 13-16 October 2022, Dogus University, Cengelkoy Campus, Istanbul, Turkey]. More information
Aktaş, V., Nilsson, M. (2022). İsveç’teki Müslümanların algıladıkları dini ayırımcılığın incelenmesi [Examining the perceived religious discrimination by Muslims in Sweden]. 21. Ulusal Psikoloji Kongresi, 13-16 Ekim 2022, Doğuş Üniversitesi, Çengelköy Yerleşkesi, İstanbul, Türkiye [21. National Psychology Congress, 13-16 October 2022, Dogus University, Cengelkoy Campus, Istanbul, Turkey]. More information
Nilsson, M. (2017). Radicalization Processes: From Sweden to the Jihadi Groups in Syria. Risks, Roots and Response – Nordic Conference on Research on Violent Extremism, The Segerstedt Institute, University of Gothenburg, April 24-26, 2017. More information
Josefsson, T., Nilsson, M., Borell, K. (2017). Everyday resistance to violent radicalism and fundamentalism: Sufi strategies in Sweden. Seventh International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society: Understanding Globalism, Respecting Difference, April 17–18, London, UK. More information

Blog Post

Nilsson, M. (2023). Sverige är det nya Frankrike . More information
Nilsson, M. (2023). Vad innebär Finlands Nato-inträde för Sverige? . More information

Other publications

Nilsson, M. (2022). Konfliktforskaren: Mer skärrade i Finland än här i Sverige [tv-sändning]. More information
Nilsson, M. (2022). Forskaren om frivilligkrigarna: ”De söker ofta en högre mening i livet” [tv-sändning]. More information
Nilsson, M. (2022). Statsvetaren om kränkningar mot politiker: ”Det är ett hot mot demokratin” [tv-sändning]. More information
Nilsson, M. (2021). Splittring kan leda till ökat deltagande i kyrkovalet [tv-sändning]. More information

Report

Nilsson, M. (2025). Eftervalsanalys 2022 – Valdeltagande och social sammanhållning i Råslätt och Österängen i Jönköpings kommun. Jönköpings: Jönköpings kommun More information
Escobar, K., Nilsson, M., Ahl, H. (2021). Styrda fast ändå inte?: Flernivåstyrning och civilsamhällets arbete med att integrera flyktingar efter flyktingkrisen 2015 i Jönköping. Jönköping: Jönköping University, School of Education and Communication More information
Escobar, K., Nilsson, M., Ahl, H. (2021). Multi-level governance and civil society’s work on integrating migrants after the migrant crisis of 2015 in Jönköping. Jönköping: Jönköping University, School of Education and Communication More information