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The challenges of political terrorism: a cross-national analysis of the downward spiral of terrorist violence and socio-political crisis

Robison, Kristopher K
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1186675931

Abstract Details

2007, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Sociology.
Since September the 11th, 2001, terrorism has received renewed attention and study from the media, publics and scholars alike. While voluminous journalistic writings and some empirical research exists on the causes and structures of terrorism, comparatively little research has thoroughly explored the political and social impacts of terrorism and the responses societies and states have to terrorism. Conventional wisdom suggests that terrorism is born of political and economic grievance in poor, quasi-authoritarian states. Indeed, a large number of terrorist attacks are within developing nations. However, the relationship between structural conditions and terror may be more complicated. What if terrorism contributes to political and social disruption, which in turn leads to even more grievances that inspire further campaigns of political violence? In other words, does terrorism breed the very conditions that encourage insurgency in the first place, leading to a downward spiral of conflict and grievance thereby worsening the plight developing nations find themselves in? This dissertation project argues that a major period of terrorism within the developing world stimulates a series of important political and social crises that under certain specific conditions spawn broader and more intense forms of political conflict. I explore the relationships between terrorism and specific political outcomes for a large sample of developing nations over a thirty-five year period. I find evidence that non-state, civil-based terrorism plays an important role in altering political systems within several developing societies. For instance, on average terrorism tends to increase state repression over accommodative policies creating an atmosphere of state terrorism. Terrorism also raises the chances for irregular transfers of power (e.g., coup d’etats) and transforms into full-scale civil war under certain specific conditions. By focusing on the consequences of terrorism across a broad sample of the world’s developing nations, this study expands our understanding of terrorism and terrorism’s intended or unintended reach into society and politics. Thus this project should contribute to more prudent and analytically-informed polices that address both the origins of terrorism and lead to the construction of sound and responsible approaches to dealing with terror and its attendant social and political fallout.
Edward Crenshaw (Advisor)
246 p.
Terrorism; Terrorist; Civil War; Repression; Guerilla War; Violence; Crisis; War; Internal War; Dissent; Politics

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Robison, K. K. (2007). The challenges of political terrorism: a cross-national analysis of the downward spiral of terrorist violence and socio-political crisis [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1186675931

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Robison, Kristopher. The challenges of political terrorism: a cross-national analysis of the downward spiral of terrorist violence and socio-political crisis. 2007. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1186675931.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Robison, Kristopher. "The challenges of political terrorism: a cross-national analysis of the downward spiral of terrorist violence and socio-political crisis." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1186675931

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.