Full Citation
Title: Determining Disengagement Methods: Deciphering the Relationship Between Engagement Pathways of U.S. Identity-motivated Domestic Terrorists and the Most Effective Disengagement Method
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2020
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Abstract: This study aims to identify broad conceptual gaps in the field of terrorism studies, beginning with those of government motivated research, that have prevented the establishment of a unified, efficient system of achieving the disengagement of U.S. identity-motivated violent terrorists. Current government motivated research categorizes terrorists either by ideology or a dominant weakness (e.g. lack of employment), assuming they have a causal relationship with engagement, and therefore, help us understand disengagement. This research informs the development of counter-terror programs. However, current academic (non-government) research shows that this causal relationship does not exist. This has resulted in extremely inefficient and unsustainable counter-terror government programs. This study suggests three key methodological changes for future studies working to understand how to achieve disengagement: Measure engagement and disengagement as developmental pathways, not discrete decisions; consider the context they are embedded in, and statistically analyze the new data for causal relationships between engagement and disengagement. Such relationships could serve as new characterizations of terrorists, and more accurately determine what resources are appropriate for each individual to achieve disengagement, improving counter-terror programs. These methodological changes are demonstrated in this paper through the examination of three case studies, but hold limited validity without a future large-n study.
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Authors: Peters, Michaila
Periodical (Full): Clocks and Clouds
Issue:
Volume: 10
Pages: 87-118
Data Collections: IPUMS NHGIS
Topics: Crime and Deviance
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