The Golden Age? What the 100 Most Cited Articles in Terrorism Studies Tell Us

In a context where widespread failings in the nature of terrorism research are well recognised—yet where the quantity of work is still enormous—is it possible to fairly assess whether the field is progressing or if it has become mired in mediocre research? Citation analysis is widely used to reveal the evolution and extent of progress in fields of study and to provide valuable insight into major trends and achievements. This study identifies and analyses the current 100 most cited journal articles in terrorism studies. A search was performed using Google Scholar for peer-reviewed journal articles on subjects related to terrorism and counter-terrorism. The most cited articles were published across sixty-two journals, which reflected the interdisciplinary nature of terrorism studies. Compared to other articles, the most cited articles were more likely to be the result of collaborative research and were also more likely to provide new data. Sixty-three of the top 100 articles have been published since 2001. The findings are discussed in relation to the evolution of terrorism research and current debates on progress in the field.     

Ferocious Times: The IRA,the RIC,and Britain's Failure in 1919–1921

The 1916 Rising was, in military terms, a shambolic failure. Despite the fact that Britain was locked in a gruelling struggle with Germany, the Rising was still utterly crushed within a week. How then, in the aftermath of victory against Germany, did Britain fail to win the subsequent struggle with the Irish Republican Army (IRA) between 1919 and 1921? This article assesses some of the key factors that played out in the conflict, drawing particular attention to the IRA's focus on the Royal Irish Constabulary and the consequences of this, and then later, how distorted perceptions of the proximity of success ultimately undermined British commitment. One of the most remarkable features of the conflict was the widespread belief among many on the British side (and more than a few in the Republican camp) that the IRA was on the verge of total defeat when the truce was declared in 1921. The IRA had suffered heavy casualties and were running low on weapons and ammunition. Yet, somehow the movement prevailed. This article aims to shed light on how and why that happened.     

In defense of the realm: Financing loyalist terrorism in Northern Ireland—part one: Extortion and blackmail

The revival of loyalist terrorism has been one of the most important developments in Northern Ireland in the 1990s. This article examines the recent fund‐raising activities of the two main loyalist paramilitary groups, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The article focuses particularly on the financial importance of extortion and blackmail to the groups in the 1990s. It also explores how the loyalist paramilitaries have responded, as organizations, to the constant need for funds, a need that has continued unabated since both groups implemented cease‐fires in 1994. The paper concludes that because of internal arrangements, the loyalist groups are consistently risking the spread of corruption among their most senior members.     

The ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Political Economy of Hedge Fund Regulation in the European Union

The traditional literature on interest group behaviour presumes that private interests develop lobbying strategies based on the principle of effective allocation of resources. However, nearly 400 private interest groups actively lobby the Council of Europe, a classical intergovernmental organisation with weak decision-making powers, where no significant policy pay-off is expected to occur. This analysis aims to explain the seeming puzzle of private interest groups seeking to influence an institution which is generally perceived as having no strong decision-making powers in European political space. It does so by exploring three explanations from the existing literature, namely ‘policy overlap’, ‘venue shopping’ and ‘epistemic community’, and considers another explanation not hitherto fully developed, suggesting that the ‘ideological motivation’ of interest groups helps to explain their behaviour. Taking the ideological motivation of interest groups into account when analysing lobbying strategies can in fact shed light on certain lobbying preferences that would otherwise appear to defy the logic of interest representation. This paper therefore suggests that an ‘ideological motivation’ explanation potentially plays a crucial role in the analysis of the behaviour of any interest group.     

Special Market Economy: Undermining the Principles of the WTO?

Despite World Trade Organization (WTO) principles of non-discrimination,the European Community (EC) operates special anti-dumping proceduresagainst certain former State-trading nations, arguing that intransition economies, prices do not fulfil the same functionas in market economies, thus being an unreliable indicator forthe purpose of anti-dumping calculations. This paper discussesthe question of whether these procedures nullify the benefitsor impede the attainment of any objective of the WTO. Whilethis approach is based on out-dated legal concepts mirroringpolitical and economic conditions of the twentieth century,it remains questionable how effective and necessary it is tooffset unfair trading practices in a globalized economy. Ultimately,WTO rules are sufficiently flexible to deal with price discriminationsfrom transition economies without resorting to principles thatare frustrating in their application and produce questionableadministrative results.     

Sex estimation in a Turkish population using Purkait’s triangle: a virtual approach by 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT)

Sex estimation is considered one of the first steps in the forensic identification process. Morphological and morphometrical differences between males and females have been used as means for morphoscopic and metric methods on both cranial and postcranial skeletal elements. When dry skeletal elements are not available, virtual data can be used as a substitute. The present research explores 3-dimensional (3D) scans from a Turkish population to test a sex estimation method developed by Purkait (2005).Overall, 296 individuals were used in this study (158 males and 138 females). Purkait’s triangle parameters were measured on computed tomography (CT) scans obtained from both right and left femora of each patient at the Bakirkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training Research Hospital (Istanbul, Turkey). Intra- and inter-observer errors were assessed for all variables through technical error of measurements analysis. Bilateral asymmetry and sex differences were evaluated using parametric and non-parametric statistical approaches. Univariate and multivariate discriminant function analyses were then conducted.Observer errors demonstrated an overall agreement within and between experts, as indicated by technical error of measurement (TEM) results. No bilateral asymmetries were reported, and all parameters demonstrated a statistically significant difference between males and females. Fourteen discriminant models were generated by applying single and combined parameters, producing a total correct sex classification ranging from 78.4% to 92.6%. In addition, over 67% of the total sample was accurately classified, with 95% or greater posterior probabilities.Our study demonstrates the feasibility of 3D sex estimation using Purkait’s triangle on a Turkish population, with accuracy rates comparable to those reported in other populations. This is the first attempt to apply this method on virtual data and although further validation and standardisation are recommended for its application on dry bone, this research constitutes a significant contribution to the development of population-specific standards when only virtual data are available.

Key points

• CT analysis using Purkait’s triangle is a suitable tool for assessment of sex in unidentified individuals.
• The best overall estimation rate was achieved with the F11 model, with around 92% of accuracy.
• The results suggested 78.4% to 92.6% correct sex identification rates.
• More research is needed to expand the sample set and verify the results.

     

Does the messenger matter? A comparison of the effects of Eurosceptic messages communicated by mainstream and radical right-wing parties on citizens’ EU attitudes

The fact that the European elections in 2014 resulted in an unprecedented success for Eurosceptic parties raises questions concerning the influence of political elites on citizens’ Euroscepticism. This paper examines whether Eurosceptic messages have a different impact when communicated by mainstream right-wing parties vs. their more radical counterparts. We do so using data from a survey experiment conducted in Germany in 2013. Our results show that Eurosceptic messages from mainstream parties significantly increase Euroscepticism among voters but that those effects are confined largely to “in”-partisans. Furthermore, when a message is effective among “out”-partisans, it is due to a combined effect of source and message credibility. This holds true for both mainstream and radical right parties suggesting that contrary to expectations, the former do not enjoy any advantage over the latter in terms of perceived credibility.