A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

February News: Support START on March 4; GTD leveraged for military and UN reports; A month remains for free CVE courses

Support START on UMD Giving Day March 4
On Wednesday, March 4, START will participate in the University of Maryland’s Giving Day, the annual 24-hour fundraising event in which all members of the UMD community join together to raise critical funding for the university. START is raising funds for its experiential education opportunities for students, which include research internships, participatory online and in-person courses, study abroad programs and professional mentoring.  

Global Terrorism Database leveraged for military and UN reports
Data from the Global Terrorism Database was recently highlighted in a report published by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) and a report produced by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)’s Global Research Network.

ICYMI: National Institute of Justice awards $1.5 Million to START
The National Institute of Justice recently awarded nearly $1.5 million to START researchers for two new projects examining violent extremists’ radicalization, mobilization and reintegration. Each project builds off the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) and associated datasets to educate law enforcement and criminal justice professionals, and provide them with strategies and best practices for terrorism prevention and extremist reintegration in their communities.

PUBLICATIONS

Cross-Agency Evaluation of DoD, VA, and HHS Mental Health Public Awareness Campaigns
RAND
Acosta, Joie D., and Jennifer L. Cerully, Eunice C. Wong, Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers, Mikhail Zaydman, Lisa S. Meredith, Ilana Blum, Nupur Nanda, Terri Tanielian, Rachel Ross, Asa Wilks
 
Narrative Persuasion and Violent Extremism: Foundations and Implications
Propaganda und Prävention
Braddock, Kurt
 
Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Violent Radicalization and Counter-Radicalization
Cambridge University Press
Braddock, Kurt
 
Conflict Changes How People View God
Psychological Science
Caluori, Nava, and Joshua Conrad Jackson, Kurt Gray, Michele Gelfand
 
Rethinking Transnational Terrorism: An Integrated Approach
United States Institute of Peace
Crenshaw, Martha
 
Can Public Health Help Prevent Violent Extremism? Should Public Health Help Prevent Violent Extremism?
Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism: Assessing Domestic and International Strategies
Eisenman, David, and Steve Weine, Myrna Lashley
 
New Opportunities in Common Security and Defence Policy: Joining PESCO
Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies
Leuprecht, Christian and Rhianna Hamilton
 
Terrorists, Radicals, and Activists: Distinguishing between Countering Violent Extremism and Preventing Extremist Violence, and Why It Matters
Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism: Assessing Domestic and International Strategies
Leuprecht, Christian, and David B. Skillicorn, Clark McCauley
 
Eyes of the Storm: How Citizen Scientists Contribute to Government Forecasting and Risk Communication
Weather, Climate, and Society
Liu, Brooke Fisher, Anita Atwell Seate, Irinia Iles, and Emina Herovic
 
Rebel Group Attrition and Reversion to Violence: Micro-Level Evidence from Syria
International Studies Quarterly
Mironova, Vera, and Karam Alhamad, Sam Whitt
 
Extended Deterrence Dilemmas in the Grey Zone: Trans-Atlantic Insights on Baltic Security Challenges
Journal on Baltic Security
Murauskaite, Egle E., and David Quinn, Catarina P. Thomson, Devin H. Ellis, Jonathan Wilkenfeld, Erik Gartzke
 
Foreign Fighters in Ukraine: Assessing Potential Risks
Vilnius Institute for Policy Analysis
Murauskaite, Egle E.
 
Ideologies that Justify Political Violence
Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences
Webber, David, and Arie Kruglanski, Erica Molinario, Katarzyna Jasko

NEWS

START informs Baltimore County PD Homeland Security Seminar
START Senior Researcher and Training Director Barnett Koven spoke on counterterrorism, radicalization and mobilization at the 2020 Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD) Homeland Security Seminar. The seminar is held annually for police department members to learn about various topics related to terrorism and homeland security.

Vera Mironova shortlisted for book award for “From Freedom Fighters to Jihadists”
The Conflict Research Society (CRS) has shortlisted Vera Mironova’s first book for their 2020 Book of the Year Prize. The book, "From Freedom Fighters to Jihadists: Human Resources of Non-State Armed Groups," was the first title published in the START-Oxford University Press book series.
 
One month remains to take free FEMA-certified CVE training
Through its collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), START is offering a series of training courses designed to provide community-focused, rigorously researched and academically informed instruction on CVE through March 2020 – and at no cost to learners.
 
START Intern prepares for exciting career
UMD student Jessica Berman has always been interested in studying the criminal mind, particularly when it comes to matters of national security, so a START project conducting research on radicalized individuals who have committed hate crimes caught her attention. This winter, she began interning at START, supplementing an already impressive portfolio of work in intelligence analysis.

The GTD is on Twitter!
Follow the Global Terrorism Database on Twitter @GTD_UMD for for insight on data, methods, analysis and terrorism-related news.

 

EVENTS

Lecture: Threat Financing and Emerging Risk
11 a.m. March 4, START Headquarters
Four researchers from Refinitiv World-Check lead a discussion about regulatory finance and compliance research related to high risk entities and individuals at START Headquarters. The conversation will serve as a snapshot of the team’s work on tracking illicit finance networks and unpacking private sector regulatory compliance.
 
Virtual Information Session: START Internships
Mar. 9, Mar. 18
Eva Coll, START’s experiential education specialist, will discuss how the internship program currently works, what students or recent graduates have to gain from their experience in the program, application requirements, and the projects offered within the center that interns will be working on.
 
Lecture: A Tale of Two Caliphates
1 p.m. March 10, START Headquarters
START Director William Braniff will compare and contrast al-Qaida and its global movement with the Islamic State and its global movement, examining the implications of this global competition.
 
Virtual Information Session: Graduate Certificate
5:30 p.m. March 18, Online
The graduate certificate program provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics, and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Participants also develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism. This program is appropriate for both academicians and practitioners and is flexible in structure. Students can complete the program in as few as 12 months to 24 months.
 
Book Talk: "Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Violent Radicalization and Counter-Radicalization"
12:30 p.m. April 15, START Headquarters
Penn State Assistant Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and Homeland Security Kurt Braddock will discuss his new book “Weaponized Words: The Strategic Role of Persuasion in Violent Radicalization and Counter-Radicalization.” This book is designed to strengthen the reader’s understanding of the persuasive mechanisms used by terrorist groups and how they are effective in order to defeat them.
 
Lecture & Discussion: CVE in Practice: An Ecosystemic Approach to CVE in the United States
12-1:30 p.m. April 20, University of Maryland College Park
Violence prevention specialist Bradley J. Galloway and Executive Director at Parallel Networks Jesse Morton will give a lecture about how and why they left their respective extremist movements, as well as the most effective methods to prevent violent extremism, and then they will open the floor for a discussion.
 
Book Talk: "Your Sons Are At Your Service: Tunisia's Missionaries of Jihad"
12 p.m. April 22, START Headquarters
Washington Institute for Near East Policy Richard Borow Fellow Aaron Zelin will discuss his new book “Your Sons Are At Your Service: Tunisia's Missionaries of Jihad.” In this book, Zelin uncovers the longer history of Tunisian involvement in the jihadi movement and offers an in-depth examination of the reasons why so many Tunisians became drawn to jihadism following the 2011 revolution.
 
CARR Far Right De-Radicalisation Webinars
What is deradicalisation? And what does it look like for individuals involved in radical right movements? As part of a new EU-STRIVE funded project with Hedayah, CARR will be unpicking these questions along with practitioners, former violent extremists and academic experts in a yearlong webinar series looking at far right deradicalisation good practices. To express your interest in attending one of these webinars, please email CARR's social media address: socialmedia@radicalrightanalysis.com..

OPPORTUNITIES

Graduate Certificate Virtual Information Session (3/18)
START offers a fully online Graduate Certificate in Terrorism Analysis through the University of Maryland's Graduate School. This program provides participants with advanced education on the causes, dynamics, and impacts of international and domestic terrorism. Participants also develop the methodological skills necessary to pursue advanced research on and analysis of terrorism. START’s certificate program is appropriate for both academicians and practitioners, is flexible in structure, and will provide students with a thorough understanding of terrorism studies and terrorism analysis. Students can complete the program in as little as one academic year. 

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Center for Security and Emerging Technology Job Opportunities
 
Facebook Head of Dangerous Orgs & Individuals Job Opportunity
 
DHS Professional Opportunities for Student Workforce to Experience Research (HS-POWER) Program
 
Summer Workshop on Analysis of Military Operations and Strategy (SWAMOS 2020)
 
UMD Three-Minute Thesis Competition
 
Further information on other job opportunities, fellowship programs, conferences and more can be found on our website’s Other Opportunities page.

TRAINING

FEMA-certified Courses: One Month Remains!

Other Courses

START IN THE NEWS

Georgetown Journal of International Affairs: Nationalist Underpinnings of Turkey’s Damaging “Kurdish” Policy
START researcher Max Erdemandi wrote this article about Turkey’s actions against the Kurdish people.
 
Bustle: Practical steps to take if you're feeling anxious in the wake of a terrorist attack
This article about travelling in the wake of a terrorist attack uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
 
The Washington Post: The resiliency of American democracy
This opinion piece about the state of American democracy cites research conducted by START affiliate Erica Chenoweth.
 
The Washington Post: What will Trump's acquittal mean for U.S. democracy? Here are 4 big takeaways.
GTD research assistant Tyler Yates wrote this opinion piece about the acquittal of President Trump.
 
Fox 42: Targeted violence increases around presidential elections, research shows
START affiliate Joseph Young is quoted in this article about targeted violence during presidential elections.

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 © 2019 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)

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5245 Greenbelt Rd

College Park, MD 20740