Claire Young
 Claire Young |
Fulbright Professional Australia-U.S. Alliance Studies
Media Profile
“The Australian and U.S. Governments are increasingly pursuing what might be called 'social' or ‘soft-power’ counter-terrorism measures. As alliance partners with similar societies targeted by Islamist terrorism, the U.S. and Australian Governments share an interest in more effective use of such measures to achieve a higher level of long-term security from terrorism. My project aims to determine how our governments can create more complementary programs.”
Claire Young is the Senior Transnational Analyst, at the Office of National Assessments in Canberra, which prepares assessments on international developments to assist the Prime Minister and other Ministers in the formulation of policy and plans. Claire has received the 2006 Fulbright Professional Australia-U.S. Alliance Studies Award sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Through her Fulbright Award, Claire will research the compatibility of Australian and U.S. 'soft-power' counter-terrorism policy and programs at Georgetown University.
Soft-power counter-terrorism measures of bilateral influence include aid, assistance with governance, public diplomacy, development policy advice and aid to civil society or political parties. Shaping these programs are implicit theories of the causes of jihadist terrorism.
“The causes of jihadist terrorism are much debated. My project aims to identify the range of possible causes of terrorism that drive U.S. and Australian programs, and consider whether any reasonable causes are overlooked, overemphasized or given preference by either country.”
Claire aims to uncover these theories and examine how much U.S. and Australian counter-terrorism activities are driven by compatible ideas on this subject through interviews with U.S. State and aid officials, academics who advocate possible government policy approaches, and officials in Bretton-Woods institutions about programs that might have a counter-terrorist effect by fostering wider development goals.
Claire’s professional career has been acknowledged by the Office of National Assessments through the Australian Intelligence Community Award in 2003 for participation in the Iraq watch and in 2001 for participation in the terrorism watch, along with a Defence Secretary's commendation. She has written on strategic responses to the 2001 terrorist attacks, developments in global terrorism, global political differences and ideological change. As the Director of the North Pacific and Global Security Section of the Defence Intelligence Organisation, Claire has written on U.S. security policy and North Asian security issues.