Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Raul Caruso
Author-X-Name-First: Raul
Author-X-Name-Last: Caruso
Author-Email: raul.caruso@unicatt.it
Author-Workplace-Name: DISCE, Università Cattolica
Author-Name: Friedrich Schneider
Author-X-Name-First: Friedrich
Author-X-Name-Last: Schneider 
Author-Email: friedrich.schneider@jku.at
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University of Linz
Title: Brutality of Jihadist Terrorism. A contest theory perspective and empirical evidence in the period 2002-2010
Abstract: We interpret the emergence of Jihadist terrorism in the light of contest theory. Al Qaeda may be portrayed as a contest organizer, providing a ‘prize’ to the best terrorist group. Each group maximizes its probability of winning by launching attacks more destructive than previous ones perpetrated by competing groups. This hypothesis is confirmed by the empirical analysis which shows that the number of victims of terrorist attacks increases compared to number of victims of previous attacks in the same country. An upward trend in terrorist brutality is the outcome of competition between groups. Results also show that Al Qaeda-style terrorism is associated with poverty and underprivileged socio-economic conditions.
Length: 25
Creation-Date: 2012-10
File-URL: http://istituti.unicatt.it/politica-economica-ISPE
0061.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
File-Function: First version, 2012
Number: ispe0061
Classification-JEL: D74, Z00
Keywords: terrorism, contest, negative binomial regression
Handle: RePEc:ctc:serie5:ispe0061