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Dilettantes, Ideologues, and the Weak: Terrorists Who Don't Kill

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  • Victor Asal

    (Department of Political Science Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy University at Albany State University of New York New York, USA, vasal@email.albany.edu)

  • R. Karl Rethemeyer

    (Department of Public Administration and Policy Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy University at Albany State University of New York New York, USA)

Abstract

Why do some terrorist organizations choose not to—or fail to—kill? Of the 395 terrorist organizations operating between 1998 and 2005 only 39% had actually killed anyone. What factors account for this outcome? This article examines a series of organizational factors, including ideology, capability, and “home-base†country context, that the literature suggests are related to the decision to “go lethal.†We then test six hypotheses using data from the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism (MIPT). Our statistical modeling suggests that ideology, capabilities, and “dilettantism†explain a significant proportion of the variation in whether an organization chooses to kill or not to kill. Leftists, anarchists, and environmentalists are far less likely to kill than those organizations inspired by religious ideologies. Larger organizations and those with more alliance ties are more likely to kill, while others are too “dilatory†and unserious about the “terrorist enterprise†to become lethal.

Suggested Citation

  • Victor Asal & R. Karl Rethemeyer, 2008. "Dilettantes, Ideologues, and the Weak: Terrorists Who Don't Kill," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 25(3), pages 244-263, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:compsc:v:25:y:2008:i:3:p:244-263
    DOI: 10.1080/07388940802219000
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Walter Enders & Todd Sandler, 2000. "Is Transnational Terrorism Becoming More Threatening?," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 44(3), pages 307-332, June.
    2. Eisinger, Peter K., 1973. "The Conditions of Protest Behavior in American Cities," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 67(1), pages 11-28, March.
    3. Enders, Walter & Sandler, Todd, 2000. "Is Transnational Terrorism Becoming More Threatening? A Time-Series Investigation," Staff General Research Papers Archive 1823, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kjell Hausken & Dipak K. Gupta, 2016. "Determining the ideological orientation of terrorist organisations: the effects of government repression and organised crime," International Journal of Public Policy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 12(1/2), pages 71-97.

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