Foreign Terrorist Organizations: The Correlation Between Group Identity and Becoming Transnational
In asking what factors better allow foreign terrorist organizations to become global, I propose the question: in what ways and why do foreign terrorist organizations become transnational in the post-Cold War era? This research will then evaluate the strategic use of group identity – specifically ethnic, religious, and ideological – by foreign terrorist organizations in order to best determine whether or not these groups, based on their respective identities, possess the ability to become transnational. Identification with these group identities garners advantages that terrorist organizations otherwise could not, aid such groups in their expansion beyond traditional state borders, and assists in the transition towards more transnational states of being. In addressing the saliency of group identity within the broader context of international terrorism, the global community will be better suited to direct counterterrorism efforts towards the most threatening and transnational foreign terrorist organizations in regards to their tactics, strategies, organization, and networks.
International Relations, Political Science, terrorism, transnational, group identity, religious, ethnic, ideological, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Naxalites, Honors Tutorial College
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