NCJ Number
217164
Journal
Studies in Conflict and Terrorism Volume: 30 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2007 Pages: 15-39
Date Published
January 2007
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This paper attempts to provide a better understanding on the dynamics within terrorist organizations by utilizing literature directly applicable, that of transnational advocacy networks (TANs).
Abstract
It is argued that the theoretical framework of transnational advocacy networks (TANs) is a useful one for thinking about terrorist national networks and can help frame them in such a way that they fit into the larger theoretical effort to understand international relations. Also, in identifying transnational terrorist networks as TANs helps one understand why such networks arose when and where they did. This analogy also offers some explanation in terms of why these networks behave the way they do and select the targets that they do. Lastly, by identifying terrorist transnational networks as TANs, one can begin to look at terrorist networks as something other than a phenomenon and start to explore questions and remove the all too common view of the terrorist as a crazed lunatic or irrational hate monger. The TAN analogy shows that terrorists operate in the same manner as other non-state actors attempting to affect change in the international system. There has been a growing interest in the role that networks play in facilitating terrorist tactical and strategic behavior. However, literature has been of the historical case study and anecdotal variety. This article is intended to further integrate one theory of social movement networks, transnational activist networks (TANs) into the study of terrorist networks. Table, references