Understanding the influence of goal-structure on the disbandment of terrorist groups

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Literature Review
  • Roots of Terrorism
  • Characteristics of Terrorist Groups
  • Terrorist Groups' End
  • Gap & Contribution
• Theory
  • Terrorism
  • Goal-structure & Criteria
  • Argument & Causal Mechanisms
• Research Design
  • Datasets, Case Selection & Timeframe
  • Operationalisation
  • Regression Model
• Analysis
  • Empirics
  • Politicisation
  • Victory
  • Splintering
  • Policing
  • Military Force
  • Alternative Explanations
  • Reflections
    • On the Impact of Goal-Structure

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This study investigates the impact of a terrorist group's goal-structure on their disbandment, a topic with limited existing research. The study aims to answer the question of how a terrorist group's goal-structure influences their cessation of operations. It introduces a new framework to categorize the structure of goals based on operative and official goals, their geographical scope, the extent of their final goal, and the effectiveness of their actions. The thesis argues that a strategic or abstract goal-structure plays a crucial role in determining how a terrorist organization ends.

• Goal-structure and its impact on terrorist group disbandment
• The role of operative and official goals in terrorist group behavior
• The influence of geographical scope, final goal extent, and effectiveness on disbandment outcomes
• Different pathways of disbandment, including politicisation, victory, splintering, policing, and military force
• The relationship between strategic and abstract goal-structures and various disbandment outcomes

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The study begins with a comprehensive literature review that examines the roots of terrorism, characteristics of terrorist groups, and different ways terrorist groups end their operations. It then introduces a new framework for understanding the goal-structure of terrorist groups and explores the relationship between goal-structure and disbandment outcomes. The research design outlines the datasets used, case selection, timeframe, operationalisation of variables, and the regression model employed in the study. The analysis chapter provides empirical findings on the impact of goal-structure on different disbandment outcomes, including politicisation, victory, splintering, policing, and military force.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of this study are: goal-structure, terrorism, disbandment, ideology, counterterrorism, operative and official goals, geographical scope, final goal extent, effectiveness, strategic and abstract goal-structures, politicisation, victory, splintering, policing, military force, and alternative explanations.