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

Leadership in Violent Extremist Organizations

Title Investigators Project Period
Al-Qa'ida Transcript Coding Project Deborah Cai -
Bargaining on and off the Battlefield: The Bargaining Model of War and Negotiations with the Afghan Taliban Barnett S. Koven -
Behavioral Assessments Based on Automated Text Analyses James Pennebaker -
Countering Jihadist Ideology among Detainees: The Effects and Effectiveness of De-Radicalization Programs Arie Kruglanski, Michele Gelfand -
Counterterrorism Net Assessment Data Structure (CT NEADS) Barnett S. Koven -
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency SIGMA+ Thomas Guarrieri, Marcus A. Boyd, Steve S. Sin, Ph.D. -
Developing a Typology of Terrorism Involvement: A Basis for Sentencing, Management, Risk Reduction, Release & Monitoring of Terrorist Offenders -
Modeling the Emergence of Leaders in Self-Organizing Social Networks Nina Fefferman -
Patterns of Radicalization in Political Activism Donatella della Porta, Manuela Caiani -
Shadows of Violence: Empirical Assessments of Threats, Coercion and Gray Zones Amy Pate, Barnett S. Koven -
Terrorist and Extremist Organizations (TEO) Database Jonathan Wilkenfeld, R. Karl Rethemeyer -
Two to Tango: Government and Terrorist Group Actions in Colombia Barnett S. Koven -
Updates to the Leadership of the Extreme and Dangerous for Innovative Results (LEADIR) Dataset Gina Scott Ligon -
Project Title Publication Date Publication Type
A Strategic Analysis of Violent Extremist Organizations in the United States Central Command Area of Responsibility 2020-03-01T12:00:00 White Paper
A Tale of Two Caliphates: Al-Qaida and its Associated Movement vs. the Islamic State and its Associated Movement 2015-09-01T12:00:00 Presentation
Al Qaeda and the Islamic State's Break: Strategic Strife or Lackluster Leadership? 2017-10-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
Big Allied and Dangerous (BAAD) 2013-09-01T12:00:00 Project Fact Sheet
Counterterrorism Net Assessment Data Structure 2020-04-01T12:00:00 Project Fact Sheet
Do Targeted Killings Increase or Decrease Terrorism? Evaluating the Evidence and Other Considerations 2017-01-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
From Freedom Fighters to Jihadists: Human Resources of Non State Armed Groups 2019-05-01T12:00:00 Book
Headhunting Among Extremist Organizations: An Empirical Assessment of Talent Spotting 2018-04-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
How Does Leadership Decapitation Affect Violence? The Case of Drug Trafficking Organizations in Mexico 2015-04-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
Introducing the Leadership for the Extreme and Dangerous for Innovative Results (LEADIR) Dataset 2025-09-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
L.E.A.D.I.R. Key Findings 2020-04-01T12:00:00 Research Brief
Morality, Efficacy, and Targeted Assassination as a Policy Tool 2017-01-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
Putting the “ O ” in VEOs: What makes an organization? 2013-07-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
Quantifying and Qualifying Charisma: A Theoretical Framework for Measuring the Presence of Charismatic Authority in Terrorist Groups 2015-05-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
Terrorist Organizational Dynamics 2019-05-01T12:00:00 Book Chapter
The Diffusion and Permeability of Political Violence in North and West Africa 2019-05-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
The Organization and Leadership of Violence 2013-08-01T12:00:00 Research Brief
The Organizational Dynamics of Far-Right Hate Groups in the United States: Comparing Violent to Nonviolent Organizations 2013-02-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
The Palestinian Quest for Significance and Hamas Violence 2023-11-15T12:00:00 Journal Article
The Politics of Terror 2018-05-01T12:00:00 Book
The Rise and Endurance of Radical Right Movements 2019-09-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
The Study of Terrorist Leadership: Where Do We Go From Here? 2017-02-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
The War Within: A Look Inside al-Qaeda's Undoing 2016-08-01T12:00:00 Book
VEO Level Decision Making 2015-05-01T12:00:00 White Paper
Violent Non-State Actors and the Kashmir Conflict 2019-09-01T12:00:00 White Paper
Who Is More Violent in Extremist Groups? A Comparison of Leaders and Followers 2019-09-01T12:00:00 Journal Article
Title Job Title Institution
Koven Barnett S. Koven Data Science Manager, Deloitte Government & Public Services
Brandon Behlendorf Brandon Behlendorf Assistant Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, SUNY Albany University at Albany, State University of New York
person-default Devin Ellis Researcher, ARLIS University of Maryland
Gary Ackerman Gary Ackerman Associate Professor, SUNY Albany University at Albany, State University of New York
Gina_Ligon Gina Scott Ligon Director of National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE); Jack and Stephanie Koraleski Professor of Collaboration Science, UNO University of Nebraska Omaha
person-default Michael Jensen Former Research Director and Senior Researcher, START University of Maryland
Henkin Samuel D. Henkin Former Geospatial Research Unit (GRU) Researcher, START
Guarrieri Thomas Guarrieri Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies
Assistant Research Scientist, Unconventional Weapons &
Technology (UWT) Division, START 		University of Maryland
Asal_Victor Victor Asal Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of Public Administration University at Albany, State University of New York