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

March News: New CBRN incident database; START names new executive director; Will terrorism continue to decline?

Pick your POICN: Introducing the Profiles of Incidents involving CBRN and Non-State Actors (POICN) Database

START researchers Markus Binder and Gary Ackerman have published a new database, the Profiles of Incidents involving CBRN and Non-State Actors (POICN) database, consisting of 517 CBRN terrorism–related events from 1990 to 2017. Each event record collects more than 140 geospatial, temporal, motivational, operational, tactical and consequence variables, including multiple metrics for variable, source and incident uncertainty. A new article in Studies in Conflict and Terrorism introduces the database as a tool for scholars, as well as illustrates its potential through several preliminary observations of the data. Read more. To gain access to the database, email the project team at poicn@umd.edu.

START names Amy Pate its new executive director

Dr. Amy Pate has been selected as START’s new executive director. A political scientist specializing in international relations and comparative politics, Pate has been working with START since the center was founded, first through her work on the Minorities at Risk Project and later as a START researcher. Most recently, she has served as START’s research director, a role she will maintain in her new position.  As a dual-hatted executive director, Pate will continue to provide guidance for START researchers from proposal development through project implementation and submission of final deliverables, while also working with Braniff to run day-to-day operations as well as craft long-term strategy. Read more.

DISCUSSION POINT

Will terrorism continue to decline in 2019?

START Founding Director Gary LaFree discusses the increase in the number of terrorist attacks from 2002 to 2014 and the downward trend since then, arguing that though major groups have been less active, hot spots of terrorism remain a problem. Read more.

PUBLICATIONS
 
The Future is a Moving Target: Predicting Political Instability
British Journal of Political Science
Bowlsby, Drew, and Erica Chenoweth, Cullen Hendrix, Jonathan D. Moyer
 
Challenges and Opportunities for Pre-Crisis Emergency Risk Communication: Lessons Learned from the Earthquake Community
Journal of Risk Research
Herovic, Emina, and Timothy L. Sellnow, Deanna D. Sellnow
 
Rebel with a Cause: Personal Significance from Political Activism Predicts Willingness to Self‐Sacrifice
Journal of Social Issues
Jasko, Katarzyna, and Marta Szastok, Joanna Grzymala-Moszczynska, Marta Maj, Arie W. Kruglanski
 
A Meta-analysis of Intervention Effects on Depression and/or Anxiety in Youth Exposed to Political Violence or Natural Disasters
Child & Youth Care Forum
Pfefferbaum, Betty, and Pascal Nitiema, Elana Newman
 
Addressing the Myths of Terrorism in America
International Criminal Justice Review
Silva, Jason R., and Celinet Duran, Joshua D. Freilich, Steven M. Chermak
 
Alerts and Warnings on Short Messaging Channels: Guidance from an Expert Panel Process
Natural Hazards Review
Sutton, Jeannette, and Erica D. Kuligowski
NEWS
 

Marc Sageman gives book talk on emergence of political violence

Last month, terrorism scholar and former CIA officer Dr. Marc Sageman presented a lecture entitled, “Emergence of Terrorism: A Dialectical Model” at START headquarters. Both his lecture and recent book, “Turning to Political Violence: The Emergence of Terrorism,” examine how the complex interactions between a state and disaffected citizens can lead some to disillusionment and moral outrage — and others to mass murder. Read more.

Churchill discusses understanding and ending honor killing

Dr. Robert Churchill visited START to discuss his book, Women in the Crossfire: Understanding and Ending Honor Killing. His long and distinguished career includes turns as the Elton Professor of Philosophy, the Director of the Peace Studies Program and the Chair of the Department of Philosophy at George Washington University. Churchill has also published extensively on topics such as human rights issues and public policy. Read more.

News media features START expertise in wake of Christchurch attack

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack on a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, various START researchers gave interviews to the news media to provide context and insight into the attacks. More than 100 news media outlets around the world have featured START expertise and data, including:

 
 

 

START continues to seek opportunities to fund the GTD beyond 2019. If your organization uses the GTD and would like to explore options to support data collection or purchase a license for commercial use, please contact us atgtd@start.umd.edu. If you are an individual who would like to support the GTD, you may make a gift directly to START through the University of Maryland College Park Foundation (UMCPF). START also welcomes testimonials sent to gtd@start.umd.edufromindividuals and organizations regarding the value of the GTD to ongoing analytical efforts.

EVENTS
 
University of Maryland Executive Cybersecurity Summit
April 4 and 5 at The Hotel, University of Maryland
The University of Maryland will be convening the first annual Executive Cybersecurity Summit at The Hotel at Maryland from April 4 and 5. The Summit will be an intensive two-day experience with keynote addresses from industry leaders including Rick Ledgett, Jim Rosenthal and Curt Dukes. The summit offers a unique, interactive learning opportunity that combines the latest industry research with practical relevance. It will be led by renowned University of Maryland faculty, senior policymakers and cybersecurity experts.
Register to attend.
 
Book Talk: Research Handbook on Mediating International Crises
12:00 p.m. April 11 at START headquarters
Dr. Jonathan Wilkenfeld, Professor and prior Chair of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland and Director of the ICONS, will give a presentation on his new co-edited book, the “Research Handbook on Mediating International Crises.”
Register to attend.
 
Book Talk: How We Win: How Cutting-Edge Entrepreneurs, Political Visionaries, Enlightened Business Leaders, and Social Media Mavens Can Defeat the Extremist Threat
11:30 a.m. April 25 at START Headquarters
Author, foreign policy strategist and former diplomat Farah Pandith will give a talk on her groundbreaking new book “How We Win: How Cutting-Edge Entrepreneurs, Political Visionaries, Enlightened Business Leaders, and Social Media Mavens Can Defeat the Extremist Threat.” Pandith argues that the solutions to the crisis of recruitment and radicalization are available and affordable. A pioneer in the war of ideas, her unprecedented experiences for President Bush and President Obama reveal information about Washington’s soft power challenge. She calls out the claim that “ISIS is defeated” and focuses on the importance of defeating the ideology.
Register to attend.
 
Save the Date: ‘The Three Pillars of Radicalization’ book launch
Jun. 5, at START Headquarters
Arie Kruglanski, Jocelyn Belanger and Rohan Gunaratna will launch their book, “The Three Pillars of Radicalization: Needs, Narratives, and Networks,” with a talk at START headquarters. The panel event will be moderated by Gary LaFree, START’s founding director.
Register to attend.
 
DEADLINES
 
 
TRAINING
 
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START IN THE NEWS
 

New York Times: ISIS Lost Its Last Territory in Syria. But the Attacks Continue.
The Global Terrorism Database is cited in this New York Times article about ISIS losing territory in Syria.
 
Center for American Progress: Turkey's Refugee Dilemma
This article on Syrian refugees in Turkey uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
 
Yahoo News: Democratic lawmakers demand answers from Trump administration on extremists serving in U.S. military
START researchers Elizabeth Yates and Patrick James are quoted in this articleabout radicalization in the U.S. military.
 
The Hill: Any US military intervention in Venezuela will be counterproductive
START researcher Erica Chenoweth is quoted in this article about U.S. intervention in the conflict in Venezuela.
 
The Washington Times: Seeing red: Trump opponents say the MAGA hat is much more ominous than a show of support
START researcher Joseph Young is quoted in this article on the political symbol of the MAGA hat.
 
New York Magazine: Report: Domestic Terrorism Is Still a Greater Threat Than Islamic Extremism
START Founding Director Gary LaFree is quoted in this article about domestic terrorism.
 
Military Times: Biological and chemical weapons: the other threats from North Korea
START researcher Gary Ackerman is quoted in this article about biological and chemical weapons.

 

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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