Migration, Terrorism, and the Future of a Divided Europe: A Continent Transformed

Published by Praeger Security International in May 2017, and also available on Amazon.com, this insightful work remains the most comprehensive and detailed study to cover all aspects of Europe’s migrant crisis- from domestic and international politics to the role of media, security aspects, economy and supranational organizations in the years to come.

As such, it provides both a useful resource for history both recent (the details of the 2015 crisis) and distant (the 19th- and early-20th-century origins of the ‘European Project’).

The massive migration crisis that has engulfed Europe since 2015—together with the Paris terrorist attacks—have exacerbated pre-existing social, political, and economic differences among Europeans.

A fundamental resource for anyone interested in the long-term ramifications of the European migration crisis, this book objectively assesses how Europe’s future course will be impacted by the key security, political, and economic trends and events stemming from the migration crisis.

The November 13, 2015 Paris terrorist attacks marked the definitive moment when the migration crisis became associated with terrorism, stoking an increasingly heated debate over the perceived dangers of migration, Islam, and extremist politics in Europe. The sudden emergence of migration as the mobilizing factor for European security, political discourse, and socio-economic realities has profoundly affected Europe’s contrasting perceptions of its own identity and values, precipitating an increasingly global response to tackling migration challenges in Europe and worldwide.

Migration, Terrorism, and the Future of a Divided Europe: A Continent Transformed chronicles the turbulent events of the 2015–2016 migration crisis, creating a context in which future political, economic, social, and security trends in Europe can be understood. The study also examines in detail the deep history of the ideological origins and histories of treaties and policies that have defined the European Union and its guidance of the crisis. Readers will gain insight into the origins, factual realities, and projected ramifications for the continent’s future security, politics, and socio-economic identity; the impact of media coverage on public perception; the differing policies and rhetoric of rival right- and left-wing parties in Europe; and the new security threats arising from a widened terrorist threat matrix that will comprise new targets, methods, and logistics. Finally, the book outlines the larger policy actions and trends expected, on the global level, towards handling future migration crises, and explains how this will have an impact on Europe.

This important new work is the cumulative result of author Chris Deliso’s extensive academic background in European history and thought; his on-the-ground presence in the target region before, during, and after the crisis; and his interviews with security officials, diplomatic figures, and practitioners directly involved with shaping the policies that were visible during the crisis. Offering a broad historical context, the text portrays the current crisis within the context of a much longer institutional and ideological divide that has existed in Europe and shaped policies for almost a century.


  • Presents a contextualized, multidisciplinary study of the migrant crisis that covers everything from organized crime and terrorism to media ethics, economic aspects, and the history of ideas
  • Discusses U.S. security and economic interests in Europe, how these interests will be impacted by the crisis, and measures the United States is likely to take to confront challenges
  • Provides insights from an author and journalist who has 15 years of regional experience, has an academic background in European history, and has interviewed European decision makers and practitioners involved with handling the crisis


Migration, Terrorism, and the Future of a Divided Europe piles fact upon fact to show the massive movement of Middle Eastern and African people into Europe was no cataclysmic wartime event. . . . [It] explores the money surrounding and enabling the crisis, a key driver rarely addressed.”Victor Gaetan, August 1, 2017, The American Spectator

“This well-researched study offers new and exclusive insight into how key diplomatic decisions were reached during Europe’s migration crisis. Despite the historic complexity of the Continent’s internal and external politics, the author succeeds in presenting a clear and accurate picture of the European situation, at a time when policy-makers (and indeed European publics) are seeking real answers to the ongoing crisis.”—Carl Schiötz Wibye, Former Norwegian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Macedonia; former Chargé d’affaires to Iran

“In this thoughtful and very well researched volume, Chris Deliso illuminates the full scale of the crisis developing through the current mass migration movements into Southeastern Europe, with particularly clear emphasis on the security implications often overlooked by EU governments. It can be wholeheartedly recommended to all students of EU migrant policy, security studies, international law enforcement officers, and humanitarian organizations.”James Pettifer, Professor of History, Oxford University

“A must-read for anyone who thinks the migration crisis in Europe is over or may be resolved any time soon. Deliso makes clear that the EU’s reaction so far has worsened the realities faced by everyone, the migrants, the Union’s own people and governments, and the Balkans states and Turkey that Brussels and Berlin have left hanging.”Gerard M. Gallucci, PhD, Former UN Regional Representative for North Kosovo; U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Retired

“Deliso takes readers on a dark but fascinating journey into the perilous world of the European migration crisis. This is a masterly synthesis of political, social, and economic history.”Dr. Panos Sophoulis, Assistant Professor of Eastern European History, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens

“Deliso’s work offers a well-documented and balanced examination of the sophisticated connections between the recent migration crisis in Europe, the increasingly vicious terrorist attacks and violent events on the Continent and the existential crisis that the EU project faces today. The book challenges the generally uniform public discourse on the ‘success’ of the European project, and that concerning its historical determinism. Instead, this book persuasively attests to how contradictory the European reality actually is.”Dr. Elena Dragomir, University of Targoviste, Romania

“This book represents a critical overview of the way in which Europe—a bastion of hope and a symbol of prosperity for many people who have due to reasons pertaining to war, poor economic prospects or something completely different decided to embark on a dangerous and uncertain journey towards it—is handling the present crisis.”Luka Jovanovic, Program Coordinator, Foundation for Security and Democracy, Belgrade, Serbia