A lecture I gave on June 1st at the Westminster Institute in McLean, Va., on how religious extremists in the Middle East, both Sunni and Shia, have succeeded in weaponizing memory. They wield historical precedence to inform and legitimize their actions and strategies. I also discuss what can be done to undermine their legitimacy by de-weaponizing precedence.

It’s long, but there’s a bit in there where the audio doesn’t match the video and you can watch me gesticulating furiously and funnily.