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The Homegrown Threat: State Strength, Grievance, and Domestic Terrorism

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  • Sambuddha Ghatak
  • Brandon C. Prins

Abstract

Scholars maintain that, similar to insurgency, terrorist violence is precipitated by both relative deprivation and state weakness. Yet aggrieved minority groups within a country should turn to terrorism when they are weak relative to the state rather than strong. Empirical evidence shows minority group discrimination and fragile political institutions to independently increase domestic terror attacks. But it remains unclear whether grievances drive domestic terrorism in both strong and weak states. Using data from 172 countries between 1998 and 2007, we find that for strong states the presence of minority discrimination leads to increased domestic terrorism, while for weak states the presence of minority discrimination actually leads to less domestic terrorism. Consequently, increasing state capacity may not be a panacea for antistate violence, as nonstate actors may simply change their strategy from insurgency or guerrilla warfare to terrorism. Efforts to reduce terrorist violence must focus on reducing grievance by eliminating discriminatory policies at the same time that measures to improve state capacity are enacted.

Suggested Citation

  • Sambuddha Ghatak & Brandon C. Prins, 2017. "The Homegrown Threat: State Strength, Grievance, and Domestic Terrorism," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 217-247, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:ginixx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:217-247
    DOI: 10.1080/03050629.2016.1128431
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    Cited by:

    1. Simon Varaine & Raul Magni-Berton & Ismaël Benslimane & Paolo Crosetto, 2024. "Egoism and Altruism in Intergroup Conflict," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 68(2-3), pages 348-380, March.

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