mircea

A Brief Primer on Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Methods in the Study of Terrorism

For years, terrorism researchers and security professionals have lamented a lack of primary data to inform our understanding of issues surrounding the use of terrorism and how that understanding might influence policy decisions. Despite these ongoing complaints, most research within terrorism studies has not featured primary data, employed rigorous social …

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Messages to Arabia: Al-Qaida Attacks MBS and the Saudi Monarchy

Since the early 1990s, al-Qaida has routinely vilified the Saudi royal family and its government for being un-Islamic and illegitimate, describing the monarchy and the princes as apostates who should be attacked and toppled from power. The gist of al-Qaida’s condemnation of the Saudi rulers is that they are lackeys …

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Fratricide in rebel movements: A network analysis of Syrian militant infighting

Violent conflict among rebels is a common feature of civil wars and insurgencies. Yet, not all rebel groups are equally prone to such infighting. While previous research has focused on the systemic causes of violent conflict within rebel movements, this article explores the factors that affect the risk of conflict …

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