Explaining Lone Wolf Target Selection in the United States

The rise in lone wolf terrorist attacks worldwide in recent decades makes understanding the types of targets lone wolves choose a crucial locus of research, yet this topic remains understudied. In light of this lacuna, this article analyzes 84 lone wolf terrorist attacks that occurred in the United States between 1940 and 2012, identifies patterns in lone wolf target selection, and proposes and tests causal explanations for these patterns. I find that (1) a majority of lone wolves select civilian targets in familiar areas and (2) this is due to their relative weakness and their ideology.     

Structural determinants of union activity in hospitals

This study uses national data from the American Hospital Association and the National Labor Relations Board in a multivariate framework to assess the impact of various structural factors on union activity in hospitals. The theoretical framework includes both management and union perspectives in evaluating (1) whether the hospital had a signed collective-bargaining contract in 1980; (2) whether a union election had been held; and (3) whether the union won the election. The results indicate that certain structural characteristics (hospital size, ownership, teaching status, and location) have had a significant impact on union activity in hospitals, while other characteristics (third-party reimbursement and area factors) have not. The results also show that prospective reimbursement has a positive impact on union activity.