THE FIVE PILLARS BLOGPOST

Hi!

Come in. Relax. Make yourself comfortable.

Welcome to the SCENOR blog. We are happy you found your way to us. We suspect (and hope) it was in search for answers.

Scientific expertise is more vital today than ever. Our mission at SCENOR is to bring evidence-based information, gathered from research conducted world-wide, to as many people as possible. We are especially interested in the topics radicalization, political violence, extremist ideologies, terrorism, preventing and countering violent extremism as well as conspiracy theories. We want to open the ivory tower of science and invite everyone in who wants to get to the core of issues with evidence-based information, in contrast to the flurry of incorrect information and fake news flooding the internet and media today. Moreover, we facilitate the provision of evidence-based information to decision makers and the information made available on this blog is a brick in that knowledge house.

This scientific blog is based on the following five pillars which act as guiding lights for us as well as all authors who wish to contribute:

1. Quality

Scientific research must be based on meticulous fact checking and the motivation to deliver the highest possible quality. The same is true here. Our authors base their expertise on evidenced facts and strive to be as objective as possible in their judgements. We are not affiliated to any political party as we believe that scientific research must be independent.

2. Inclusive audience

This blog is an information hub for everyone, be it other researchers, first-line practitioners, political decision makers, journalists, and any other interested parties. The texts must therefore be written in an accessible and easily understandable way. References for a deep dive into a topic with further reading recommendations or a link to the original scientific publication should be provided.

3. No delayed journalism

We do not engage in delayed journalism but want to give readers the most recent, evidence-based, high-quality, and consequently mostly “slow” research findings. We offer this platform to established researchers in their field as well as noteworthy new researchers for whom we can act as an initial launching pad.

4. Cost-free

SCENOR operates as a non-profit association. This blog is a cost-free contribution to the science world and hence authors cannot be financially compensated. We endeavour though to spread the word as good as we can, help disseminate your work and make contributors known.

5. Respect

The conclusions and viewpoints in the blogposts are entirely those of the authors. SCENOR ensures overall quality but cannot evaluate or scrutinise all scientific findings presented in the posts. We respect all conclusions and viewpoints of the authors – even if they are not our own. We encourage a lively discussion in the comments section, but all commentators must adhere to this principle of respect and avoid at all times personal critique or improper language.

Interested to contribute?

Glad to hear that. Before you send us your contribution, please consider the following:

Language and style

• Texts may be submitted in English or German.

• For English, use British English spelling and grammar (organise, behaviour, programme).

• Apply the University of Oxford Style Guide for edge cases.

• For German, follow Duden rules.

• Write for an educated general and academic audience, including practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.

• Explain specialist terms and avoid unnecessary jargon.

• Use short, active sentences and keep paragraphs concise.

• Lead with the key message, then expand with analysis or evidence.

• Use single quotation marks; double only within single.

• Apply the Oxford comma only where needed for clarity.

• Avoid exclamation marks and rhetorical language.

  
  

Structure and focus

• Each post should centre on two or three main insights or arguments.

• Begin with a clear summary paragraph that states the central idea.

• Use subheadings to organise complex material and guide the reader.

• Avoid bureaucratic phrasing and abstract nouns; prefer concrete, verifiable statements.

• For articles on Daesh (so-called Islamic State), follow terminology from the Counter-Daesh Dicionary.

Length

• Main articles, commentaries, and book reviews: 1,000–1,300 words.

• Abstracts and shorter pieces: 400–500 words.

Content and originality

• Texts must be predominantly original.

• Direct quotations are permitted but must be clearly attributed to the author or source.

• Posts must be factual, evidence-based, and neutral in tone.

• Avoid duplication of previously published material or automatically generated content.

References and citations

• References may be added as direct hyperlinks within the text, linking key words or phrases to the original source (e.g. according to the European Commission).

• When no stable or permanent URL is available, use end notes following the Chicago author–date citation style (e.g. (Smith 2023, 112)), with a corresponding entry at the end of the text.

• At the end of each post, include two to three recommendations for further reading, preferably open-access or institutional sources.

• Use in-text attribution where relevant (e.g. ‘According to the European Commission…’).

• All quantitative data must include context, time frame, and source.

• For full referencing guidance, consult the Chicago Manual of Style Online.

Names, acronyms, and formatting

• After the first mention, refer to individuals by Mr/Ms Surname or Surname only.

• Academic titles (e.g. Dr, Prof.) may be included on first mention when relevant to the context or to establish research credentials, particularly in academically oriented posts. Avoid repeating titles thereafter.

• Do not use multiple or compound titles (e.g. Prof. Dr.).

• For institutions or organisations, use the institutional name rather than individual titles.

  Example: Instead of writing “According to Prof. Maria Smith of Oxford University…”, write “According to researchers at the University of Oxford…” or “Oxford University research shows…”.

• Spell out acronyms on first use, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses; use the short form thereafter (e.g. European Commission (EC)).

• Keep acronyms to a minimum and avoid introducing unnecessary abbreviations.

• Write dates as 4 November 2025 (no commas).

• Spell out one to nine, and use figures for 10 and above.

• Use commas for thousands (1,000; 10,000) and round large numbers sensibly.

Submission

• Submit your contribution as an editable file (.docx preferred) to hello@scenor.at.

• Include the following materials:

  • Full name(s) and institutional affiliation(s) of the author(s).

  • A short biographical note (two to three sentences) outlining relevant expertise or research background.

  • A high-resolution headshot of each author for publication on the SCENOR website.

• Ensure that all figures, tables, or graphics are properly sourced and captioned.

• SCENOR reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity, consistency, length, and factual accuracy prior to publication.

We are looking forward to reading you!

Stefan

Chairman & Managing Director at SCENOR