Email: aa152@queensu.ca
Amarnath Amarasingam is an Associate Professor in the School of Religion, cross-appointed to the Department of Political Studies, at Queen鈥檚 University in Ontario, Canada. His research focuses on extremism and radicalization, religion and politics, conspiracy theories, social movements, online communities, and diaspora politics.
He is the co-author of Dangerous Conspiracies: When Bad Ideas Turn Violent (2026) as well as (2026). He has published 6 edited volumes, including (2025), (2025), and (2021).
He has published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, along with numerous policy reports and op-eds, in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, CNN, Politico, and The Globe and Mail, and has been interviewed by CNN, PBS Newshour, CBC, BBC, and a wide range of other media outlets.
An experienced field researcher, he has conducted fieldwork in Sri Lanka, Syria, Iraq, Morocco, Somalia, Lebanon, and Israel/Palestine. He has interviewed hundreds of extremists, former extremists, impacted families, and survivors of political violence. He has also co-led and received funding for major projects on extremism, conspiracy theories, and diaspora politics from SSHRC, Public Safety Canada, Google, the United Nations, and other bodies.
Research and Supervision Areas
- Terrorism and political violence
- Extremism and hate movements
- Social media and digital environments
- Diaspora politics and activism
- Religion and violence
- Religion and politics in the Middle East
- Religion and politics in South Asia
- Sociology of religion
- Social movements
- Religion and the public sphere