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The Phenomenon Of Homegrown Radicalization In The United States, Austin W. Mceldred

Honors Theses

The phenomenon of homegrown radicalization in the United States has become a disturbing trend for many Americans in the past decade. Many of these radicalized individuals raised in the United States come from affluent families and have had many of the opportunities that any other Americans are granted. In this thesis content analysis and case study examinations are used to explore the question of what is leading to individuals becoming radicalized in the United States. This study examines five cases of homegrown radicalization to determine the role that traumatic events, alienation, poverty, internet usage, a perceived divide between the West …

Refugees, Migrants, And Terrorists: German National Identity And The Social Construction Of Vietnamese And Mediterranean Boat People, Yves Mai Orsino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the eruption of the Mediterranean crisis, European states have taken a tougher stance on admitting refugees and asylum seekers despite the fact that Europe is the original architect of the international humanitarian regime. This shift from a historically Open Europe to the Fortress Europe is particularly pronounced in Germany. Accordingly, this thesis explores why Germany has suggested more restrictive policies toward the Mediterranean refugees today when it had responded generously during the Indochinese crisis. I argue that Germany's differential responses to the Indochinese and Mediterranean refugee crises reflect its construction of the foreign groups as either assets or liabilities …

Isis Propaganda And United States Countermeasures, Daniel Lincoln Stevens

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study is threefold: 1. Examine the use of propaganda by the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) and how its propaganda enables ISIS to achieve its objectives; 2. Examine the United States Government (USG) response; 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the USG response and how it can be improved. The goal of ISIS is to overturn the Middle East, attack westerners in the region and in the West, and create one all-encompassing Islamic State. ISIS' innovative use of propaganda has been central to its success. ISIS uses propaganda more effectively than previous terrorist groups. …

Raised Afraid: The Media's Influence In Heightened Fear Of Terrorism, Paige Fetters

Honors Theses

Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, terrorism has become a household topic and a leading headline for the news media. Following the 9/11 attacks, coverage of the event was played around the clock for the first five days. 99 – 100% of Americans followed terrorism-related events by watching television listening to the radio, or reading print news. Exposure to terrorism-related media have increased substantially since the widespread use of smartphones and social media, where news and topics can be shared and discussed around the world in a matter of seconds. The psychological effects of this exposure could affect …

The Economics Of Crime, Bryan S. Weber

Theses and Dissertations

Essay 1: “Can Safe Ride Program Reduce Urban Crime?” This paper evaluates the influence of a safe ride program at a public university on neighborhood crime in a major urban area. Using an hours of the week panel, the program's operation is associated with an approximate 14 percent reduction in crime. The program being open appears to have roughly similar influence in reducing violent and non-violent crime. Moreover, increases in rides (the intensity of the program) are also associated with reductions in crime. Such increases in program intensity are also associated with notably greater reductions in crime occurring on weekends. …

New Destinations Of Islamic Fundamental Terrorism: The Rise Of Al Shabaab, Damien Evan Pitts

Masters Theses

The rise of Al Shabaab was achieved primarily in three ways. The first way was through the power granted to them as the militant wing of the Islamic Courts Union.Governmental legitimacy allowed them to enforce sharia law throughout Somalia, and this was reinforced even further as they were able to fend off Ethiopia's invasion.Secondly, they were able to surpass tribal affiliations and use Islam as the rallying tool to organize, and gain support in the faced of a growing secular government. Lastly, Al Shabaab created alliances that provided them with logistical and financial support, to include Eritrea, Al Qaeda, foreign …

Principles And Policies: Comparing The Counterterrorist Strategies Of United States Think Tanks In The Wake Of September 11th, Malcolm Kelly

Honors Theses

United States think tanks work in a “marketplace of ideas” where they compete to spread their views and influence policy-makers. Although think tanks often claim to be independent organizations free of politicization, they are political bodies. Analysts in think tanks share common assumptions about international relations and think tanks have clear political orientations, which guide their members while researching and promoting policies to decision makers. To what extent can global events alter or transform these underlying assumptions? Are global events interpreted anew or are they absorbed into the particular core values and basic principles mirrored in think tank mission statements? …

Terrorized Tourists: A Study Of The Impact Of Terrorism On Tourism, Caroline M. Depuma

Honors Theses

Tourism is one of the largest sectors in the world; it is also one of the first to take a hit when terrorist attacks happen. Terrorism data has become more important to the tourism and travel industry since the attacks on September 11, 2001. This study looks at the impact that terrorism has on tourism levels, Gross Domestic Product, and Foreign Direct Investment in the countries of Brazil, Egypt, India, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The results of this study show that terrorism affects the daily operations of these countries, by impacting the amounts of GDP, FDI, and the number …

Human Intelligence In Federal Terrorism Cases, Noah James Schneider

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Though it has often been quipped that the September 11th attacks changed "everything", domestic policy alterations were among the most significant changes after 9/11. Specifically, the 2002 Ashcroft Attorney General Guidelines and the 2008 Mukasey Attorney General Guidelines were two of the most impactful policy changes following 9/11. These Attorney General Guidelines changed the way the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated terrorism in the United States in addition to making counterterrorism the FBI's top priority. One of the ways the FBI prevents terrorism is through the use of undercover agents and confidential informants. How the 2002 and 2008 Attorney …

Policing And The Likelihood Of Terrorism: A Community Structural Approach To An Uncertain Relationship, Andy Bellamy Brooks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Prior research on terrorism has argued that local law enforcement play an important role in counterterrorism though the mechanisms by which the police should prevent terrorism are empirically unsettled and atheoretical in nature. Even less understood is how policing might differentially impact terrorism across specific ideological movements (e.g., far-right, environmental, Islamic extremism). Drawing from prominent sociological and criminological theories (i.e., Environmental perspectives, Social Disorganization, Conflict/Marxist) the current study addresses several key gaps in prior literature by utilizing data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) paired with data from the FBI Uniform Crime Report and U.S. Census Bureau. Results suggest that …

Fixing The Failed: An Investigation Of Terrorist Organizations And State Building Capabilities, Joshua Adam Freeman

Master's Theses

This study examines the role of terrorist organizations in failed states. In particular, their ability to perform positive state-building activities that result in stability is investigated. Both terrorism and state failure present unique and serious threats to international security. However, there is very little literature concerning the positive effect terrorist organizations can have in failed states. Presented is not only an investigation of the linkages between state failure and terrorism, but also a new classification of terrorist organizations based upon their ability to state-build in failed states. These organizations are classified by their ability to provide goods and services within …

Opportunity, Temporal Patterns, And Successful Outcomes Of Far-Right Terrorism Incidents In The United States, Brent Ryan Klein

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the impact that far-right terrorism opportunity structures and temporal patterns of precursor activity have on incident outcomes. Data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) are extracted for several attributes of far-right opportunity, in addition to measures for temporal patterns of planning and preparatory behaviors. Bivariate and multivariate findings generally support expectations that target attractiveness and vulnerability, far-right group structures, and patterns of precursor activity are significantly associated with incident outcomes. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research and several implications for homeland security policy.

Afghan Narcoterrorism: The Problem, Its Origins, And Why International Law Enforcement Should Fight It, Steven Fantigrossi

Honors Capstone Projects - All

This paper provides insight into the issue of opium trafficking in Afghanistan. In 2014, despite U.S., Afghan, and international efforts since 2001, poppy-opium cultivation in Afghanistan reached an all-time high. The Afghan opium trafficking industry provides funding to terrorist groups and transnational crime organizations and is responsible for the continued corruption of government officials, police officers, and intelligence agents in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and other nations. Aside from increased corruption and funding of terrorists and criminals, the opium trade creates opium and heroin addicts out of men, women, and children across the globe. The history of how the opium problem …

Legitimate Illegitimacy: Measuring Terrorists' Legitimacy During And After Negotiations, Brenna L. Bridwell

Doctoral Dissertations

Policymakers often refuse negotiations with terrorist groups for fear that those groups will become legitimized in the eyes of the population, and that the state will become the victim of future attacks as other groups attempt to emulate the negotiating group. While scholars have analyzed whether or not negotiations are effective in ending terrorist groups, scholarship is lacking as to whether or not policymakers’ fears regarding legitimization are accurate. In this vein, I analyze the IRA/UK negotiations during the Good Friday Accords using tobit regressions and Critical Discourse Analysis to determine whether the IRA gained political legitimacy via their portrayal …

The Global Dystopian: Twenty-First Century Globalization, Terrorism, And Urban Destruction, Ryan Frank Peters

Dissertations

The new millennium has witnessed a staggering outpouring of literature, film and art which depict dystopian and post-apocalyptic societies. These stories have come in the form of massively popular films like the Matrix and Hunger Games trilogies; Emmy-winning television adaptations such as The Walking Dead; and Pulitzer Prize-winning novels like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, or Kazuo Ishiguro’s Booker Prize-nominated Never Let Me Go. In the last five years, a wave of critically-lauded video games – The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite, and Dishonored come immediately to mind—have depicted dystopian worlds while reaching mass audiences. Combined, The Last of Us and …

Terrorist Kidnappings For Ransom: Explaining Hostage Outcomes, Stephanie Mullen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the death of her son, James Foley, Diane Foley stated, "I pray that our government will be willing to learn from the mistakes that were made and to acknowledge that there are better ways for American citizens to be treated" (Cumming and Vinograd 2015). The recent American deaths at the hands of terrorist groups have brought kidnapping and ransom policy to the forefront of the American psyche. In an effort to understand why hostages are released or killed in situations where a ransom is asked, we attempt to isolate and test key variables using a binary …

The Factors Which Lead To The Emergence Of Terrorist Groups And Influence Their Structure, Stuart C. Groombridge

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis examines the factors, which lead to the emergence of terrorist groups and the evolution of their organisational structure. The three case studies used within this thesis examine terrorist groups as complex adaptive systems. Historically, the only group, which has been studied as a complex adaptive system, is Al Qaeda. This study builds on this work by examining three cases of historical terrorist groups: the Provisional Irish Republican Army, Weather Underground Organisation, and Kosovo Liberation Army, in an attempt to ascertain whether the concept of complex adaptive systems can be generalised to a broader range of groups.

The thesis …

Twelve Years Later: Afghan Humanitarian Aid Workers On War On Terror, Emmanuel C. Ogwude

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Using narrative research study founded in social constructionism, I explored the lived experiences of thirty Afghan humanitarian aid workers in Kabul, Afghanistan, to discover how they experienced the war on terror. Ten participants were individually interviewed and their stories, personal experiences, perceptions, and voices have been presented in this study. I also facilitated a focus group of twenty Afghan NGO directors, and their views are echoed in the study. The participants represented a diversity of different humanitarian service specialties that cater to Afghan individuals, communities, and government agencies in areas such as education, human rights and good governance, food and …

Student Visa Control And Information Exchange, Lisa Bellamy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Expired student visas can contribute to illegal residence in the U.S. and may also be a valuable source of information for Homeland Security. Although the reason for remaining in the U.S. might be for nonthreatening purposes, threatening actions could occur as an individual gets lost in the country. The purpose of this study was to determine how visas were issued, the reasons an individual may remain beyond the approved visa date, and the mechanisms intelligence and law enforcement agencies use to exchange information with each other. This research was based on the new war theory and the Lockwood Analytical Method …

Port Security: The Terrorist Naval Mine/Underwater Improvised Explosive Device Threat, Peter Von Bleichert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Terrorist naval mines/underwater improvised explosive devices (M/UWIEDs) are a threat to U.S. maritime ports, and could cause economic damage, panic, and mass casualties. The purpose of this case study was to examine this threat and propose reforms that improve port security management. The study aligned with the mission area analysis objective of identifying and assessing potential terrorist threats in order to preempt and prevent attacks. Von Bertalanffy's general systems theory was the framework for research questions, which focused on improvements in port security management to mitigate the threat of terrorist M/UWIEDs. Data collection included a document content analysis of open …

Terrain, Trains, And Terrorism: The Influence Of Geography On Terrorism In India, Andrea Malji

Theses and Dissertations--Political Science

What conditions give rise to and nurture ethno-nationalist terrorist movements in India? Specifically, can geography create grievances and be beneficial in a terrorist campaign? I investigate how geography prevented historical development in certain locations in India. I theorize that rugged geographic features prevented economic, social, and political development. Underdevelopment and isolation created grievances in the population. Aggrieved groups then utilized the same geographic features that prevented development to launch effective terrorist campaigns. I conduct a district level analysis of terrorism in India using statistical and GIS analysis. I supplement the analysis with case studies from the Indian states of Uttarkhand, …

Rural Healthcare Worker's Willingness To Report To Work During Catastrophic Events, Aaron M. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

In the events leading up to, during, and following a catastrophic event, healthcare workers play a critical role in the outcome of these events. Therefore it is of the utmost importance that healthcare workers are able and willing to report to work. Prior to September, 2001 there had been three willingness to report studies published in the literature. Post September, 2001 and up until 2011 there was a renewed interest in the topic which led to the publishing of twenty plus papers on the topic. The current literature has examined willingness to report thoroughly and definitively; however, there is a …

The Psychology Of Terrorism And Radicalization, Gina K. Dejacimo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Terrorism and radicalized political groups are an ever-growing subsection of the American and international news cycles. Mainstream media outlets tend to focus on the atrocious actions of terrorists, leaving the American public without a true understanding of what encourages someone to become a violent, radicalized extremist. This paper intends to investigate possible psychological factors that can predict a person’s likelihood to become radicalized and participate in a salafi jihadi terrorist campaign. If such psychological conditions exist, perhaps they are the key to preventing radicalization in the first place, and in turn, the key to preventing any terrorist activity. What other …

The Death Of Global Jihad : The Origin And Reality Of Islamic Terrorism, David Charles Gardiner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Islamic terrorism has been propagated as a seemingly unavoidable threat to our daily lives. However, the globally oriented anti-Western jihad movement peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s and has since been in decline. Across much of Africa and the Middle East, fringe groups have used Islam as a rallying cry to attract supporters who might otherwise dismiss their rather extreme tactics. Many of these groups claim to adhere to al Qaeda's brand of global terror, but they do so largely to obtain financing and support for their individual nationalist agendas. …

The Relationship Between Terrorism, Oil Prices, And Airline Profitability, Ubirathan Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Given the financial challenges faced by the airline industry, understanding of the combined effect of terrorism and the price of petroleum on airline profitability is imperative. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if a combination of terrorism and the price of petroleum significantly predicted airline profitability, and which variable was the most significant. This study collected samples of financial records from major American commercial passenger and cargo airlines on costs of fuel (n = 84) and airline profitability (n = 84). The terrorism data (n = 84) were comprised of terrorist attacks on petroleum infrastructure in oil-producing …

The Burqa Ban In France And Its Potential Implications On Islamic Terrorism, Ifeanyi Valentine Madu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Islamic terrorism has become a global problem which has resulted in human, social, political, and economic costs. Many Islamic terrorist organizations have focused their attacks on the West and its interests. They justify these acts by making reference to policies of the West, which they believe are inimical to Islam. France, a Western country, recently introduced a law which bans the Islamic face veil (the burqa) in public places in the country. This study examined the implications of this law. The research question focused on the perceived relationship between this law and increased acts of Islamic terrorism. The theoretical construct …