Terrorist Organizations:
Social Science Research on Terrorism

4–5 May 2007
La Jolla, California

UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation
with support from
University of California Office of the President
The Earhart Foundation
British Consulate-General, Los Angeles

Participant List
Participant Biographies

Agenda

Introductory remarks: IGCC Director Susan Shirk

Session 1: Sociology, Religion, and Terrorism

Ecology and Rebellion
David Laitin (Stanford University)
Discussant: David A. Lake (UC San Diego)

The Legitimacy of Terror
Gershon Shafir (UC San Diego)
Discussant: Babak Rahimi (UC San Diego)

Session 2: Terrorist Organizations and Their Vulnerabilities

The Terrorist's Challenge: Security, Efficiency, Control
Jacob Shapiro (Stanford University)
Discussant: Eli Berman (UC San Diego)

Security Force and Insurgent Success Factors in Counter-Insurgency Campaigns
Andrew Hossack (UK Ministry of Defense, Defense Science and Technology Laboratories)
Discussant: Sam Popkin (UC San Diego)

Lunch and speaker

Services for Loyalty
Eli Berman (UC San Diego)

Session 3: Recruitment and Damage

The Transformation of Suicide Bombing Campaigns: Sectarian Violence and Recruitment in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq
Mia Bloom (University of Georgia)
Discussant: Mark Juergensmeyer (UC Santa Barbara)

Common Patterns in the Timing and Size Distribution of Events in Modern Insurgencies
Michael Spagat (Royal Holloway College, University of London)
Discussant: Dipak Gupta, San Diego State University

Session 4: Tactics, Selection, and Targets

Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Mobilization  paper 1  paper 2
Ethan Bueno de Mesquita (Washington University)
Discussant: Stephan Haggard (IRPS, UC San Diego)

Attack Assignments in Terror Organizations and the Productivity of Suicide Bombers
Efraim Benmelech (Harvard University) and Claude Berrebi (RAND Corp.)
Discussant: Miles Kahler (IRPS, UC San Diego)

Shuttle from Weaver Center to La Jolla Shores Hotel

Dinner and Keynote Address
La Jolla Shores Hotel

Keynote: Winning the Global War on Terrorism in the Pacific Region: Special Operations Forces’ Indirect Approach to Success
Lt. Col. Fred Krawchuk, Pacific Special Operations Command

8:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m.

Breakfast

Session 5: Terrorists and Their Constituencies

Strategies of Terrorism
Barbara Walter (UC San Diego)
Discussant: Eva Meyersson Milgrom (Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research)

The Impact of Terrorism on Voter’s Preferences
Claude Berrebi (RAND Corp.) and Esteban Klor (Hebrew University, Jerusalem)
Discussant: Zeev Maoz (UC Davis)

How Terrorism Ends: The IRA
Richard English (Queen’s University, Belfast)
Discussant: Gregg Herken (UC Merced)

11:15 a.m.–11:30 a.m.

Coffee break

11:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m.

Session 6: Panel on Aid, Governance, Counterinsurgency: Mindanao, Iraq, and Afghanistan

A. Heather Coyne (USIP)
Joseph Felter (Center for Combating Terrorism, West Point) paper
Daniel Korski (State Department/ UK Embassy)
Christopher Runyan (USAID)
Thomas Johnson (Naval Postgraduate School)

Lunch

Session 7: What Next? Research Opportunities

Tiffany Lightbourn (Department of Homeland Security) presentation
Don Smith (Joint Information Operations Warfare Command)
Joseph Felter (Center for Combating Terrorism, West Point) paper

Justin Hastings (UC Berkeley)
Max Abrahms ( UCLA)
Lindsay Heger (UC San Diego)