A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

July News: New data & analysis of social media use by U.S. extremists; Report on radicalization of Syrian refugees; Job opportunities


FEATURED RESEARCH

 

New data and analysis: Social media use by U.S. extremists
Online social media platforms are playing an increasingly important role in the radicalization process and lone actors are particularly active on social media, according to a new START report providing a thorough analysis of newly collected data on the social media activities of U.S. extremists in START’s Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset.

Syrian refugees more willing to return to Syria than move to Western country
Few Syrian refugees want to immigrate to the West, and those who do are less likely to endorse tenets of Islamic extremism, harbor negativity toward the West, or support the use of violence against these countries, according to a new START report. A team of START researchers recently examined various factors in the radicalization of refugees of the Syrian conflict that were living in Jordan and Lebanon. 


OPPORTUNITIES
 
We're hiring: Education and Training Director 
The Education and Training Director will be responsible for overseeing START’s undergraduate, graduate and experiential learning programs as well as professional training initiatives. The Director will be supported by an experienced Assistant Director who leads the training team and has background in program management, instructional design and the creation of online educational products. The Director and Assistant Director will supervise and mentor four junior staff members who oversee day-to-day administration of undergraduate, graduate, experiential and training programs. The Education and Training Director is part of START’s executive leadership team and will work closely with other START center-wide directors in charting the future development of the center. Apply by July 23.

We're hiring: Senior Program Manager
START Center Program Manager will be responsible for coordinating resource allocation across dozens of projects for the Center’s approximately 65 full-time employees and 20-30 hourly employees, supported by program and project managers within START’s individual research, education and training portfolios. The START Center typically has $13 million in research expenditures each year, across dozens of projects for multiple funders. Apply by Aug. 2.

 
Earn Your Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis
START offers a fully online Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis hosted through the University of Maryland Graduate School. The flexible program (1-2 academic years) provides participants – both scholars and practitioners – with advanced education on the causes, dynamics and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Apply by July 26.
 

NEWS

 

ICONS Project awarded grant from Minerva Research Initiative
The ICONS Project at START-University of Maryland has been awarded a grant from the Minerva Research Initiative to analyze great power behavior in gray zone crises – conflicts that unfold in the space between war and peace. Read more.
 
Training courses aim to build community resiliency across the country
START recently launched online and in-person training courses aimed to bolster community resilience by educating community members about violent extremism and how to counter it. The new courses, all FEMA certified, are based on multidisciplinary, empirical research that examines terrorism and countering violent extremism. Read more
 
Bacon explores why terrorist groups form alliances
Tricia Bacon recently spoke to START about her new book that examines the risks and rewards of terrorist alliance networks and the future of international alliances among terrorist groups. Read more.
 
GTD named ‘Thriving Workplace’
START’s Global Terrorism Database has been named a Thriving Workplace at the University of Maryland. Given the team’s high rankings, the University recently highlighted the team and Dr. Erin Miller’s leadership. Read more.


PUBLICATIONS

WMD Terrorism: The Once and Future Threat
PRISM |NDU | The Journal of Complex Operations
Ackerman, Gary, and Michelle Jacome
 
Assessing the Nuances of Counterterrorism Programs: A Country-Level Investigation of Targeted Killings
Crime & Delinquency
Carson, Jennifer Varriale


DEADLINES & EVENTS

 

Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis: Apply by July 26.

August 1, 11 a.m.
A Regional Stabilizer or a Troublemaker?: A Role Theory Approach to Turkish Foreign Policy
Lecture by Max Erdemandi


TRAINING

START IN THE NEWS

Small Wars Journal: Rational Choice and How Erdogan Keeps Winning
START researcher Max Erdemandi wrote this article for Small Wars Journal on the elections in Turkey.
 
Washington Times: Americans charged with ISIS support served in military more than 10 percent of time, study finds
START researcher Patrick James is quoted in this article about US veterans being recruited by ISIL. 
 
Mother Jones: Inside the Radical, Uncomfortable Movement to Reform White Supremacists
START researchers Arie Kruglanski and Pete Simi are quoted in this article about reforming far right extremists.
 
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.

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