A dynamical model of terrorism

This paper develops a dynamical model of terrorism. We consider the population in a given region as being made up of three primary components: terrorists, those susceptible to both terrorist and pacifist propaganda, and nonsusceptibles, or pacifists. The dynamical behavior of these three populations...

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Main Authors: Firdaus Udwadia, George Leitmann, Luca Lambertini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2006-01-01
Series:Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/DDNS/2006/85653
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author Firdaus Udwadia
George Leitmann
Luca Lambertini
author_facet Firdaus Udwadia
George Leitmann
Luca Lambertini
author_sort Firdaus Udwadia
collection DOAJ
description This paper develops a dynamical model of terrorism. We consider the population in a given region as being made up of three primary components: terrorists, those susceptible to both terrorist and pacifist propaganda, and nonsusceptibles, or pacifists. The dynamical behavior of these three populations is studied using a model that incorporates the effects of both direct military/police intervention to reduce the terrorist population, and nonviolent, persuasive intervention to influence the susceptibles to become pacifists. The paper proposes a new paradigm for studying terrorism, and looks at the long-term dynamical evolution in time of these three population components when such interventions are carried out. Many important features—some intuitive, others not nearly so—of the nature of terrorism emerge from the dynamical model proposed, and they lead to several important policy implications for the management of terrorism. The different circumstances in which nonviolent intervention and/or military/police intervention may be beneficial, and the specific conditions under which each mode of intervention, or a combination of both, may be useful, are obtained. The novelty of the model presented herein is that it deals with the time evolution of terrorist activity. It appears to be one of the few models that can be tested, evaluated, and improved upon, through the use of actual field data.
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spelling doaj-art-36cc0f048ffb4254b4a931bef61af0062025-08-20T02:07:41ZengWileyDiscrete Dynamics in Nature and Society1026-02261607-887X2006-01-01200610.1155/DDNS/2006/8565385653A dynamical model of terrorismFirdaus Udwadia0George Leitmann1Luca Lambertini2Departments of Civil Engineering, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Systems Architecture Engineering, and Information and Operations Management, 430K Olin Hall, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-1453, CA, USAGraduate School, College of Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley 94720, CA, USADepartment of Economics, University of Bologna, Bologna 40125, ItalyThis paper develops a dynamical model of terrorism. We consider the population in a given region as being made up of three primary components: terrorists, those susceptible to both terrorist and pacifist propaganda, and nonsusceptibles, or pacifists. The dynamical behavior of these three populations is studied using a model that incorporates the effects of both direct military/police intervention to reduce the terrorist population, and nonviolent, persuasive intervention to influence the susceptibles to become pacifists. The paper proposes a new paradigm for studying terrorism, and looks at the long-term dynamical evolution in time of these three population components when such interventions are carried out. Many important features—some intuitive, others not nearly so—of the nature of terrorism emerge from the dynamical model proposed, and they lead to several important policy implications for the management of terrorism. The different circumstances in which nonviolent intervention and/or military/police intervention may be beneficial, and the specific conditions under which each mode of intervention, or a combination of both, may be useful, are obtained. The novelty of the model presented herein is that it deals with the time evolution of terrorist activity. It appears to be one of the few models that can be tested, evaluated, and improved upon, through the use of actual field data.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/DDNS/2006/85653
spellingShingle Firdaus Udwadia
George Leitmann
Luca Lambertini
A dynamical model of terrorism
Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society
title A dynamical model of terrorism
title_full A dynamical model of terrorism
title_fullStr A dynamical model of terrorism
title_full_unstemmed A dynamical model of terrorism
title_short A dynamical model of terrorism
title_sort dynamical model of terrorism
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/DDNS/2006/85653
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