NEWS
Register now: 2021 Webinar Series - Migration, Security and Regional Militancy in Sabah and the Greater Sulu Celebes Sea
This webinar series aims to provide awareness, knowledge-transfer, and capacity-building in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) based on research findings on pertinent issues related to security, migration and regional militancy in Sabah and the greater Sulu Celebes Sea.
START researchers participate in Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) Global Summit
In July, START Director William Braniff and Global Terrorism Database (GTD) Program Manager Erin Miller participated in the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) Global Summit.
Egle Murauskaite appears on virtual panel on military mobility in Europe
START Senior Researcher and ICONS Project Simulation Designer Egle Murauskaite appeared on a virtual panel on “Zapad 2021: Implications for Defense & Military Mobility in Europe” with the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) earlier this month.
START Director speaks with National Nuclear Security Administration fellowship students
Earlier this summer, START Director William Braniff appeared on a panel during a virtual orientation for the incoming Fellows of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellowship Program (NGFP).
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
A Practical Taxonomy for Online Terrorist Content
This work product is in response to the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s (GIFCT) Request for Proposals for taxonomic frameworks for terrorist content online. The joint authors of this text – consisting of international specialists and GIFCT stakeholders convened by the Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) – have provided a practical resource in the form of a grid for use by online platforms to identify different types of terrorist content (X-axis) and online platform functions (Y-axis).
Taxonomy Expansion and the Global Terrorism Database: Effectively Leveraging Academic Data Collection Initiatives
One of the key recommendations of the recent GIFCT-sponsored study to evaluate the strengths and limitations of terrorist definitions and designations lists was that “the technology sector and representatives from civil society, academia and government should work together to develop a global, unbiased and real-time database of possible terrorist entities.” In comparison to other sources, the authors identified “rigor and objectivity” as an advantage of academic datasets, while drawbacks of academic datasets include poor timeliness and challenges related to sustainability over time.
EVENTS
2021 Webinar Series: Migration, Security and Regional Militancy in Sabah and the Greater Sulu Celebes Sea
August 24 – September 2, Online
This webinar series is part of the research project “Divergent Dimensions of Radicalization Risk: Migration and Violent Extremism in Sabah,” which focuses on security issues in Sabah, Malaysia. This webinar series aims to provide awareness, knowledge-transfer, and capacity-building in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) based on research findings on pertinent issues related to security, migration and regional militancy in Sabah and the greater Sulu Celebes Sea.
UMD First Look Fair
September 22 – September 23, Online & McKeldin Mall, UMD
First Look Fair is one of the longest running involvement traditions at the University of Maryland. First Look Fair hosts almost 600 student clubs and organizations, campus departments and services, local vendors, and community service agencies. The festive atmosphere is the perfect place to gather resources, learn more about how to get involved, and connect with other students with similar interests.
START IN THE NEWS
Los Angeles Times: To confront the reality of domestic terrorism, we need a federal law
START Founding Director Gary LaFree is quoted in this opinion piece about domestic terrorism laws.
Foreign Affairs: The threat reflex: Why some societies respond to danger better than others
START affiliate Michele Gelfand wrote this article on societal responses to threats.
NBC: Cracking down on domestic terrorism
START researcher Elizabeth Yates is interviewed in this TV spot about domestic terrorism.
International Business Times: 5 richest terrorist groups in the world
This article about the wealthiest terrorist groups uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
The Telegraph: Mexican drug cartel threatens to kill TV anchor over 'unfair' coverage
START researcher Samuel D. Henkin is quoted in this article about drug cartels in Mexico.
Forbes: Twitter, Facebook may let Taliban control Afghan government social media accounts
START Director William Braniff is quoted in this article about the use of social media by extremist groups.
Insider: Some QAnon believers are being driven to violence. Experts say mental health problems could be a factor.
This article about QAnon uses data from START’s Radicalization and Disengagement (RaD) team.
This is a selection of news clips from the past month.
A complete list of START’s media coverage can be found here.
SUPPORTING START
Help Support START Research and Education
The START Consortium is dedicated to generating knowledge of the human causes and consequences of terrorism. Applying rigorous standards to both research and education, START seeks to illuminate one of the most highly politicized and understudied phenomena in the social sciences for students, practitioners and policy-makers. Funded primarily through research grants to date, START is seeking to generate an endowment that will provide the flexibility and autonomy to ensure that it can continue to serve as an objective source of data and empirically based analysis into the future. To donate, or for more information, please click here.
Copyright © 2021 The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), All rights reserved.
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The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
PO Box Number 266
5245 Greenbelt Rd
College Park, MD 20740