Public Policy and (Myths About) Terrorism

Terrorist acts such as the recent Boston Marathon bombing, London 7/7, Mumbai or the September 11 attacks on the United States are described by many as ‘black swans’ – events that fall outside the realm of regular expectations, have a high impact, and defy prediction. However, many acts of terror produce no fatalities, frequently rely on low technology weapons, do not involve a great deal of planning, and are carried out by groups whose life expectancy is less than one year. Balancing this mundane, everyday form of terrorism with its occasional capacity for mass destruction is a unique policy challenge for twenty-first century organizations and states.

To help address this challenge, the ISN/CSS hosted a roundtable discussion that featured the following speaker and discussants.

Gary LaFree (University of Maryland and Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism) – presentation “Black Swans and ‘Burstiness’: Countering Myths about Terrorism”

Lorenzo Vidino (CSS) - discussant

Jennifer Giroux (CSS) - discussant

The roundtable was moderated by the ISN’s Peter Faber

• Time to Dispel Some Myths about Terrorism (Article)
• Gary LaFree: Public Policy and (Myths About) Terrorism (ISN Blog Post)

Dr Gary LaFree

Gary LaFree is the co-founder and director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland, as well as professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He has published three books and more than 80 papers in leading academic journals and has made numerous presentations at national and international conferences. He works closely with government agencies, national laboratories, and international organizations. His research has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the US State Department, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Dr. LaFree is a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology (ASC) and has served as President of the ASC, chair of the ASC’s Division on International Criminology, and chair of the American Sociological Association’s Section on Crime, Law and Deviance. He has also been on the executive committees of the National Academy of Sciences Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, the Justice Research Statistics Association, the National Consortium for Violence Research, the Democracy Collaborative and the Police Foundation. He is currently a member of the NAS Committee on Crime, Law and Justice. He received his PhD in Sociology from Indiana University.

Dr Lorenzo Vidino

Lorenzo Vidino is a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) and a lecturer at the University of Zurich. A native of Milan, Italy, he holds a law degree from the University of Milan Law School and a Doctorate in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Boston. He previously held positions at the RAND Corporation, the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He has taught at Tufts University, the University of Maryland (START) and the National Defense University. Lorenzo Vidino is the author of two books and frequent articles in several prominent newspapers and academic journals. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and consults with governments, law firms, think tanks and media in several countries. His research focus lies on Islamism and political violence in Europe and North America.

Jennifer Anna Giroux

Jennifer Giroux is a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies (CSS). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and a Master's degree in International Policy with additional training in counter-terrorism studies, conflict resolution, mediation, and partnering. Her experience includes working with the United Nations, the Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies (CETIS), and the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). She specializes in research that examines the contemporary characteristics of violent non-state actors and their targeting behaviors. Her current project looks specifically at global trends in energy infrastructure targeting. In addition, she performs research on societal resilience, critical infrastructure protection, and the role of information technology in emergency/crisis planning and response.