VoxEU Column

Past Vox columns on terrorism and terrorists

The terrorist attacks in Paris are a horrible reminder that terrorism is now a systematic part of the global economy. This column presents a list of past Vox columns that deal with terrorism from an economic perspective. Particularly insightful is Alan Krueger’s column, “What makes a terrorist?”

Given the terrible events in Paris, the following past VoxEU.org columns are newly relevant.

What makes a terrorist?

Alan B. Krueger 11 September 2007

To economists, criminals are people with a low opportunity cost and few legitimate opportunities. Terrorism is different. Terrorists and their organisations seek to make a political statement; terrorists arise when there are severe political grievances with no alternatives for pursing those grievances.

http://bit.ly/1SrjRl0 

 

Do we know enough about terrorism?

Fernanda Llussá, José A. Tavares 10 December 2007

We know too little about the causes and consequences of terrorism and what we do know is not listened to. For example, existing empirical and theoretical research on the economics of terrorism contradicts common wisdom that terrorists are irrational misanthropes with little education and low income. More research is needed.

http://bit.ly/1QnvpYS

 

International terrorism and the escalation effect

Nauro F. Campos, Martin Gassebner 07 April 2009

Conventional explanation attribute terrorism to lack of income or liberal democracy. This column argues that political instability is a better predictor of international terrorism. It says that civil wars and guerrilla warfare provide training grounds in which terrorists amass the personnel and skills needed to commit terrorist acts. Reducing political violence might reduce subsequent terrorism.

http://bit.ly/1NwaRqX

 

The long-run effect of 9/11: Terrorism, backlash, and the assimilation of Muslim immigrants in the West

Eric D Gould, Esteban F Klor, Monday, January 30, 2012

How does radical Islamic terrorism impact Muslim immigrants in the West? The backlash against Muslims in the US after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 damaged assimilation among Muslim immigrants, argue the authors of CEPR DP8797 – and they present strong evidence to prove it.

http://bit.ly/1SPraDP

 

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