FEATURED
Formalization within a terrorist group increases capacity for lethal violence
Formalization within a terrorist group increases its capacity for lethal violence, according to a new START analysis of the Leadership of the Extreme and Dangerous for Innovative Results (LEADIR) dataset. The research team found that terrorist groups that use uniforms to denote status differences and tenure are more lethal than groups whose members do not wear uniforms.
New START webinar series features research on terrorism, gray zone conflicts and more
START is launching a new webinar series to provide its stakeholders and the public with opportunities to connect with START’s network of experts and stay current on recent research. The series starts Thursday, April 30, with a lecture from Egle Murauskaite about foreign fighters in Ukraine.
START provides ample online education and training opportunities
Whether you are a full-time student or working professional, START has many options for you to further your education and build applicable skills, all from the comfort of your own home. Online offerings include:
- START’s summer courses,
- Graduate Certificate Program,
- Webinar series
- Customized training lectures, and
- Publicly available online training courses.
ICONS offers crisis management support for public and private sectors
Building on more than 30 years’ experience, the ICONS Project is providing organizations around the world with custom-designed simulations, wargames and exercises to help plan for unique challenges and manage crises. ICONS specializes in scenario planning, operations continuity and reputation management and has recently conducted exercises to help public and private organizations anticipate how to manage geo-political risk, respond to a disinformation campaign and assess and mitigate violent extremist threats.
Need to teach online unexpectedly? ICONS simulations can help
START’s ICONS team has 24 completely online, ready-to-go simulations that engage students in playing the roles of stakeholders in a range of complex political and societal issues. The simulations require students to think strategically, negotiate collaboratively and make decisions about world issues including international trade negotiations, global warming, food security,
human trafficking and more.
PUBLICATIONS
Re-Evaluating Special Operations Forces-Led Counterterrorism Efforts
Joint Special Operations University Press
Koven, Barnett S.
Paradoxes of Professionalism: Rethinking Civil-Military Relations in the United States
International Security
Brooks, Risa
Discursive Turns and Critical Junctures: Debating Citizenship After the Charlie Hebdo Attacks
Oxford University Press
Della Porta, Donatella, and Pietro Castelli Gattinara, Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Andrea Felicetti
Transnational Volunteers: American Foreign Fighters Combating the Islamic State
Terrorism and Political Violence
Fritz, Jason and Joseph K. Young
Fratricidal Rebels: Ideological Extremity and Warring Factionalism in Civil Wars
Terrorism and Political Violence
Hafez, Mohammed M.
A Strategic Analysis of Violent Extremist Organizations in the United States Central Command Area of Responsibility
NSI White Paper
Logan, Michael, and Lauren Zimmerman, Gina S. Ligon
Radicalization to Terrorism: What Everyone Needs to Know
Oxford University Press
Moskalenko, Sophia and Clark McCauley
Immediate and Early Interventions for Children and Adolescents Post Terrorism
Risk Management of Terrorism Induced Stress: Guidelines for the Golden Hours (Who, What and When)
Newman, Elana and Betty Pfefferbaum
Truth and Significance: A 3N Model (Needs, Narratives, Networks) Perspective on Religion
The Science of Religion, Spirituality, and Existentialism
Szumowska, Ewa, and Aneta Czernatowicz-Kukuczka, Małgorzata Kossowska, Szymon Król, Arie W. Kruglanski
NEWS
American Society of Criminology recognizes LaFree
The American Society of Criminology awarded START Founding Director Gary LaFree the Edwin H. Sutherland Award for his work advancing the scientific study of terrorism. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to theory or research in criminology on the etiology of criminal and deviant behavior, the criminal justice system, corrections, law or justice.
START intern works with NGO on reintegration program
In addition to interning with START’s project examining bias crime offenders, Viola Roggia is working with an NGO to design a reintegration program for a young woman convicted of engaging in terrorist activity online.
Marine charts career course with START internship
Kevin Kupski was fresh off a tour with U.S. Marine Corps Security, and after a life of service all around the world, he found a home in the University of Maryland’s Department of Geographical Sciences and an internship with the GTD.
EVENTS
START Webinar Series: Near-peer Competition and Russian Meddling in Latin America
12 p.m. ET May 11, Online
START Near-peer Competition Lead Researcher and Training Director Barnett Koven will provide a virtual lecture on “Near-peer Competition and Russian Meddling in Latin America.” This presentation will offer a comparative perspective of Russian engagement in Latin America and Eastern Europe. The presentation will conclude by discussing potential responses to this aggressive Russian behavior.
Book Talk: The Radical’s Journey: How German Neo-Nazis Voyaged to the Edge and Back
10 a.m. ET May 19, Online
Arie Kruglanski, David Webber and Daniel Koehler will discuss their book, “The Radical’s Journey: How German Neo-Nazis Voyaged to the Edge and Back,” with an online event moderated by START Director William Braniff. This volume offers a crucial examination of right-wing extremism, supported by detailed empirical analyses of right-wing militants' experiences within and outside their organizations.
Virtual Information Session: Graduate Certificate
5 p.m. ET May 19, Online
The graduate certificate program provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics, and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Participants also develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism. This program is appropriate for both academicians and practitioners and is flexible in structure. Students can complete the program in as few as 12 months to 24 months.
START Webinar Series: Defining Terrorism
12 p.m. ET May 25, Online
START Graduate Studies Director Marcus Boyd will provide a virtual lecture on “Defining Terrorism.” This talk, based on a lecture from START’s Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis, delves into the difficulties and pitfalls of defining terrorism. By linking social theory and philosophical thought, we can begin to critically examine why a universal definition of terrorism remains just out of reach.
Book Talk: "Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Violent Radicalization and Counter-Radicalization"
12 p.m. ET June 8, Online
American University Assistant Professor Kurt Braddock will discuss his new book “Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Violent Radicalization and Counter-Radicalization.” This book is designed to strengthen the reader’s understanding of the persuasive mechanisms used by terrorist groups and how they are effective in order to defeat them.
CARR Far Right De-Radicalisation Webinars
What is deradicalisation? And what does it look like for individuals involved in radical right movements? As part of a new EU-STRIVE funded project with Hedayah, CARR will be unpicking these questions along with practitioners, former violent extremists and academic experts in a yearlong webinar series looking at far right deradicalisation good practices. To express your interest in attending one of these webinars, please email CARR's social media address: socialmedia@radicalrightanalysis.com.
OPPORTUNITIES
Graduate Certificate Virtual Information Session (3/18)
START offers a fully online Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis through the University of Maryland's Graduate School. This program provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics, and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Participants also develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism. START’s certificate program is appropriate for both academicians and practitioners, is flexible in structure, and will provide students with a thorough understanding of terrorism studies and terrorism analysis. Students can complete the program in as little as one academic year.
Call to Action to the Tech Community on New Machine Readable COVID-19 Dataset
Terp Young Scholars
Job Opportunity: Jr. Counterterrorism Data Exploitation Analyst
Maryland Parent & Family Association Student Scholarship Award
Further information on other job opportunities, fellowship programs, conferences and more can be found on our website’s Other Opportunities page.
START IN THE NEWS
NPR: Playing tight and loose: How rules shape our lives
START affiliate Michele Gelfand is quoted in this radio spot about the effect of culture on the perception of rules.
Brookings Institution: On CVE, the Trump administration could have been worse
START affiliate Stevan Weine co-wrote this blog post about the Trump administration’s handling of countering violent extremism.
Quartz: The psychology behind France’s decision to announce an end date for lockdown
START researcher Arie Kruglanski is quoted in this article about France announcing an end date for their COVID-19 lockdown.
The Guardian: The global pandemic has spawned new forms of activism – and they’re flourishing
START affiliate Erica Chenoweth co-wrote this opinion piece about changes in non-violent activism during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is a selection of news clips from the past month.
A complete list of START’s media coverage can be found here.
SUPPORTING START
Help Support START Research and Education
The START Consortium is dedicated to generating knowledge of the human causes and consequences of terrorism. Applying rigorous standards to both research and education, START seeks to illuminate one of the most highly politicized and understudied phenomena in the social sciences for students, practitioners and policy-makers. Funded primarily through research grants to date, START is seeking to generate an endowment that will provide the flexibility and autonomy to ensure that it can continue to serve as an objective source of data and empirically based analysis into the future. To donate, or for more information, please click here.
Copyright © 2019 The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
PO Box Number 266
5245 Greenbelt Rd
College Park, MD 20740