Ideology Matters: Unpacking Desistance and Attack Patterns of Religious Terrorism

• In Event: Understanding Terrorist Threats

Abstract

This study looks at ideology differences in terrorist organizations; specifically, the impact of religious ideology on group lifespan, peak aggression, and suicide-attack rates. The theoretical rationale for distinguishing between religious and secular ideologies will be discussed, as well as what might be expected regarding average lifespan and attack patterns of different ideologies. Using data from START's Global Terrorism Database (GTD), the analysis consists of group-level statistical analyses to compare religious and secular ideologies. Primary hypotheses expect to find that (1) religious terror organizations are active longer and are more aggressive in comparison to other ideologies, and (2) religious organizations that subscribe to a concept of an afterlife are active longer, more aggressive, and more likely to employ suicide-attacks in comparison to other religious ideologies. Preliminary findings will be discussed.

Author

• Hannah E. De Wolf, George Mason University