Targets of Terrorism in the Western World, 2002-2016

• In Event: Terrorist Tactics around the World: Influences and Ideology across Contexts

Abstract

Despite comprising a relatively small percentage of worldwide terrorism, terrorist attacks in “Western” countries heavily influence both public perception of terrorism and counterterrorism policy. This analysis draws on the Global Terrorism Database to investigate 15 years of post-9/11 terrorist attacks in member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), outside the context of war and insurgency. In particular, analysis of tactics and targets identifies distinct patterns of perpetrator organization, lethality, and impact on symbolic targets and critical infrastructure. These patterns inform a discussion of both theoretical and policy implications.

Author

• Erin Miller, University of Maryland