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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.
NEWS
Climate change: Fueling terror and extremism
A new global partnership between START, Pool Re SOLUTIONS and the International Forum for Terrorism Risk (Re)Insurance Pools (IFTRIP) will focus on the impact of climate change on terrorism.
START Director invited to serve on Maryland domestic terrorism task force
Last month, START Director William Braniff was invited to serve on the newly created Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) Task Force on Preventing and Countering Domestic Terrorism.
CALCE and START co-host Intersections of Illicit Trafficking and Counterfeit Parts Workshop
In October, START and the Center of Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) co-hosted the virtual Intersections of Illicit Trafficking and Counterfeit Parts Workshop, sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Members of Generations for Peace come to START to discuss countering violent extremism
Last month, START hosted a delegation from Generations For Peace (GFP) to discuss preventing and countering violent extremism. GFP is a global peacebuilding organization headquartered in Amman, Jordan, with experience supporting volunteer-led community programs in 51 countries around the world.
Michael Jensen attends Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh
START Senior Researcher Michael Jensen participated in a data project to support the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh, Pa. in October, alongside organizations such as the George Washington University (GWU) Program on Extremism (POE), Moonshot CVE and Microsoft.
FEATURED PUBLICATION
Resistance Resurgent: Resurrecting a Method of Irregular Warfare in Great Power Competition
The U.S. has spent the last two decades, during its short time as the singular superpower, engaging relatively successfully in counterterrorism. However, we have now entered a new era of Great Power Competition (GPC) with adversaries; Russia and China. In the last decade, these nations have either caught up to the U.S. or have gained a slight edge in several types of warfare, while they challenge the international order created and dominated by the U.S. In particular, Russian threats loom over our NATO Baltic allies, while Chinese threats loom over the South China Sea and Taiwan.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Online Winter Courses
START offers fully online summer and winter courses each year which are open to any current degree seeking student or non-degree seeking individual. Current University of Maryland students may register through Testudo. Non-University of Maryland students must apply as non-degree seeking students, visiting students, or students with Golden ID Cardholder Status through the University of Maryland’s Office of Extended Studies. The classes this winter include “The Rise of the Islamic State” and “Social Network Analysis for Terrorism,” and will run from January 3-21, 2022.
Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree in Security and Terrorism Studies
Prospective students can now apply for START’s fully online MPS in Security & Terrorism Studies. The program is appropriate for individuals interested in (and/or currently) working in fields related to intelligence analysis, national security analysis, or analysis of other relevant topic areas, and individuals interested in (and/or currently) conducting scholarly research on terrorism and security. Apply by January 7, 2022 for Spring 2022.
Global Terrorism Studies Minor Program
START has developed an undergraduate minor in Global Terrorism Studies, a cross-disciplinary program housed in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Maryland. The minor is designed to train the next generation of terrorism analysts, including students who plan to pursue graduate study related to terrorism as well as employment in the federal, state, local, non-profit, and/or private sectors. START accepts applications to the program from University of Maryland undergraduates once per calendar year, during the spring semester. Apply by February 11, 2022 for Fall 2022.
EVENTS
How to Address Extremism Among Veterans
10 a.m. ET December 3, Online
In November, START Director William Braniff and START affiliate Dr. Maggie Smith co-led a multi-sectoral working group meeting on the topic of misinformation on behalf of We the Veterans, a research-informed nonprofit organization partnering with START to build on the strengths of the veteran and military family community to crowd out vulnerabilities to misinformation and violent extremism. Join Braniff and the Brookings Institution on Friday, December 3 at 10:00 a.m. for a panel to discuss these and other developments, their implications for the future of domestic security, and how they should inform U.S. policy going forward.
Meet the Faculty: MPS in Security & Terrorism Studies (12/6)
12 p.m. ET December 6, Online
Come meet our faculty! On Monday, December 6 at 12:00 p.m. ET, Radicalization and Disengagement (RaD) researcher Dr. Marcus Boyd will provide a virtual talk on his teaching style, learning objectives and course themes in the classes he teaches for START’s MPS in Security & Terrorism Studies.
START IN THE NEWS
Small Wars Journal: Redefining terrorism in the 21st century
This article on defining terrorism uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
Slate: How passenger vehicles became a preferred weapon for domestic extremists
This article on the use of vehicles as weapons uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD).
CBC: U.S. judge sentences Manitoban ex-reservist Patrik Mathews to 9 years in prison for role in neo-Nazi plot
START researcher Elizabeth Yates is quoted in this article about the sentencing of a member of the extremist group The Base.
PolitiFact: Tucker Carlson film falsely claims Jan. 6 is 'pretext to strip millions' of 'constitutional rights'
START researcher Michael Jensen is quoted in this article about a documentary discussing the criminal charges faced by offenders of the Capitol insurrection.
Homeland Preparedness News: Global Partnership to focus on climate change fueled terrorism
This article discusses the partnership between START, IFTRIP and Pool Re to explore the impact of climate change on terrorism.
USA Today: When does speech become dangerous? Rep. Gosar’s ties to white nationalists added to concerns about his video
START researcher Elizabeth Yates is quoted in this article about a video shared online by Rep. Paul Gosar which depicted animated violence against other politicians.
Salon: Is the QAnon "movement" a tragedy, a danger — or a terrorist group?
This article about the QAnon movement uses recent data on QAnon from START’s Radicalization and Disengagement (RaD) team.
Business Insider: Inside a DC jail's 'Patriot Wing,' where Capitol riot defendants sing the national anthem and act like prisoners of war — but struggle to cope with being locked up
START researcher Michael Jensen is quoted in this article about the Capitol riot defendants.
Military Times: Extremist crimes among veterans on the rise for the past decade, study finds
This article about extremism among veterans uses data produced by the 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.
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