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Should I Stay or Should I Go? Explaining Variation in Western Jihadists' Choice between Domestic and Foreign Fighting

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  • HEGGHAMMER, THOMAS

Abstract

This article studies variation in conflict theater choice by Western jihadists in an effort to understand their motivations. Some militants attack at home, whereas others join insurgencies abroad, but few scholars have asked why they make these different choices. Using open-source data, I estimate recruit supply for each theater, foreign fighter return rates, and returnee impact on domestic terrorist activity. The tentative data indicate that jihadists prefer foreign fighting, but a minority attacks at home after being radicalized, most often through foreign fighting or contact with a veteran. Most foreign fighters do not return for domestic operations, but those who do return are more effective operatives than nonveterans. The findings have implications for our understanding of the motivations of jihadists, for assessments of the terrorist threat posed by foreign fighters, and for counterterrorism policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Hegghammer, Thomas, 2013. "Should I Stay or Should I Go? Explaining Variation in Western Jihadists' Choice between Domestic and Foreign Fighting," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 107(1), pages 1-15, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:107:y:2013:i:01:p:1-15_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Do, Quy-Toan & Gomez-Parra, Nicolas & Rijkers, Bob, 2023. "Transnational terrorism and the internet," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    2. Didik Novi Rahmanto & Adrianus E. Meliala & Ferdinand Andi Lolo, 2020. "Foreign Terrorist Fighters Indonesia: Belief in A Just World and Terrorism," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 9(1), pages 530-542, July.
    3. Peter Schram, 2019. "Managing Insurgency," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(10), pages 2319-2353, November.
    4. Do,Quy-Toan & Gomez Parra,Nicolas & Rijkers,Bob, 2021. "Transnational Terrorism and the Internet," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9885, The World Bank.
    5. Michael Freedman, 2019. "Fighting from the Pulpit: Religious Leaders and Violent Conflict in Israel," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(10), pages 2262-2288, November.
    6. Schram, Peter, 2021. "Self-managing terror: Resolving agency problems with diverse teams," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 240-257.
    7. Alex Braithwaite & Tiffany S. Chu, 2018. "Civil Conflicts Abroad, Foreign Fighters, and Terrorism at Home," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 62(8), pages 1636-1660, September.
    8. Grant, Matthew J. & Stewart, Mark G., 2017. "Modelling improvised explosive device attacks in the West – Assessing the hazard," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 345-354.
    9. Chandra, Yanto, 2017. "Social entrepreneurship as emancipatory work," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 657-673.

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