NCJ Number
59343
Journal
International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 107-126
Date Published
1978
Length
20 pages
Annotation
SPECIAL PROBLEMS WHICH INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL TERRORISM POSES FOR RESEARCH, SUCH AS DATA COLLECTION, INFORMATION EXCHANGE, GENERALIZABILITY OF RESULTS, AND RESEARCHER ROLE ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL TERRORISM POSES SPECIAL PROBLEMS FOR RESEARCHERS BECAUSE IT OCCURS IN MANY DIFFERENT SOCIOPOLITICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS AND BECAUSE IT HAS DIRECT RELEVANCE TO PRACTICAL ISSUES SUCH AS PREVENTION AND CONTROL. THREE GENERAL AREAS WHERE PROBLEMS MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO ARISE IN DEVELOPING RESEARCH STRATEGIES INCLUDE DEFINING AND DELIMITING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM, CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH, AND UTILIZING AND APPLYING THE RESEARCH FINDINGS. THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WHICH COULD BE OR HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED, INCLUDING DATA COLLECTION, SURVEYS, AND DESCRIPTIVE CLASSIFICATION, TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, AND CONCEPTUAL MODELING. OTHER STRATEGIES ENCOMPASS GAMING, PREDICTION, FUTURISTICS INVOLVING OUTTHINKING THE TERRORISTS, ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONING, CORRELATION STUDIES FOCUSING ON AN EXAMINATION OF VARIABLES AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS, CASE STUDIES, AND SPECIFIC TOPICS. PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS, EVALUATIVE RESEARCH, AND FINALLY, AN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR INFORMATION EXCHANGE CAN BE EMPLOYED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A COMPARATIVE, INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH COULD GENERATE FRUITFUL NEW AVENUES WITHIN THE COMMUNICATIONS MODEL AND A BROADER, POTENTIALLY MORE PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PHENOMENON OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL TERRORISM. REFERENCES AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)