Recent Work
Rohrer S. (Forthcoming) “Terrorism: Causes, Strategies, and the 21st Century.” The Basics of National Security. University of North Georgia Press.
Chapter Overview:
This chapter provides an in-depth exploration of the evolution of terrorism, tracing how its definitions, tactics, and motivations have shifted throughout history. It examines the ways in which both state and non-state actors have employed violence to achieve political, ideological, or religious objectives, highlighting the fluidity of what constitutes terrorism across different contexts and eras. The chapter also analyzes the strategic use of proxy groups by states, illustrating how such alliances enable states to pursue geopolitical goals while maintaining plausible deniability. For instance, it discusses Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” as a prominent example of modern state-backed terrorism, emphasizing how Iran has strategically avoided direct confrontation by supporting groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. This calculated approach allows Iran to advance its regional ambitions while minimizing risks to itself. The chapter also delves into the psychological, ideological, strategic, and structural drivers of terrorism, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the diverse motivations behind such acts. It highlights how personal grievances, belief systems, calculated strategies, and enabling structural conditions converge to fuel terrorism, underscoring the persistent challenges of combating it in an interconnected and evolving global landscape.
Chapter Overview:
This chapter provides an in-depth exploration of the evolution of terrorism, tracing how its definitions, tactics, and motivations have shifted throughout history. It examines the ways in which both state and non-state actors have employed violence to achieve political, ideological, or religious objectives, highlighting the fluidity of what constitutes terrorism across different contexts and eras. The chapter also analyzes the strategic use of proxy groups by states, illustrating how such alliances enable states to pursue geopolitical goals while maintaining plausible deniability. For instance, it discusses Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” as a prominent example of modern state-backed terrorism, emphasizing how Iran has strategically avoided direct confrontation by supporting groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. This calculated approach allows Iran to advance its regional ambitions while minimizing risks to itself. The chapter also delves into the psychological, ideological, strategic, and structural drivers of terrorism, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the diverse motivations behind such acts. It highlights how personal grievances, belief systems, calculated strategies, and enabling structural conditions converge to fuel terrorism, underscoring the persistent challenges of combating it in an interconnected and evolving global landscape.
Rohrer S. (2021) “War and Terrorism.” The Basics of International Relations. University of North Georgia Press.
Chapter Overview:
This chapter provides an overview of the evolution of the terms war and terrorism. In addition to outlining the development of these terms, it provides contemporary definitions that are applied in the public and academic spheres. It will also address the nebulous origins of these concepts and describes the tensions between common understandings and an academic approach to these ideas.
Chapter Overview:
This chapter provides an overview of the evolution of the terms war and terrorism. In addition to outlining the development of these terms, it provides contemporary definitions that are applied in the public and academic spheres. It will also address the nebulous origins of these concepts and describes the tensions between common understandings and an academic approach to these ideas.
Rohrer, S.; Price, N; and Gilley, J. (2020). "The Quest for an Independent Scotland: The Impact of Culture, Economics, and International Relations on Votes of Self-Determination" Journal of Economics and Politics. 25(1), 1-16
Abstract:
In the contemporary world, the true locus of sovereignty is up for debate. The drive for Scottish independence from the Untied Kingdom, within the larger context of the European Union illustrates trends within this relocation of sovereignty. Traditional research focused primarily on the cultural and identity issues at play, as well as economic issues. This work broadens the scope by placing the independence struggle within a complex international context. The shift from a purely realist state system interpretation to that of a refereed Pacific Union illustrates when nationalist separatist movements can find conditions that allow for a viable secessionist movement. This sheds light on why Scotland has chosen to formally pursue independence in the last decade. Additionally, this work takes into account the theoretical implications of a had Brexit, soft Brexit, and no Brexit on the future timing of secessionist referenda in Scotland.
Abstract:
In the contemporary world, the true locus of sovereignty is up for debate. The drive for Scottish independence from the Untied Kingdom, within the larger context of the European Union illustrates trends within this relocation of sovereignty. Traditional research focused primarily on the cultural and identity issues at play, as well as economic issues. This work broadens the scope by placing the independence struggle within a complex international context. The shift from a purely realist state system interpretation to that of a refereed Pacific Union illustrates when nationalist separatist movements can find conditions that allow for a viable secessionist movement. This sheds light on why Scotland has chosen to formally pursue independence in the last decade. Additionally, this work takes into account the theoretical implications of a had Brexit, soft Brexit, and no Brexit on the future timing of secessionist referenda in Scotland.
Rohrer, S. and Sobek, D. (2016). "Name Your Price: Economic Compensation and Suicide Terrorism." International Journal of Peace and Development Studies. 7(8), 76-88
Abstract:
Suicide terrorism remains a difficult action to rationally explain. Often, scholars rely on ideological or religious motivations to explain these seemingly irrational actions. While it seems clear that non-economic motives matter, it is also the case that economic compensation can incentivize suicide terrorism in ways that allow for more robust suicide campaigns. As such, we would expect that organizations that provide financial compensation to suicide terrorists will generate more attacks. In addition, the general economic environment plays into this in that poor economic conditions should increase the attractiveness of monetary compensation. To test our arguments, we conduct a series of statistical analyses looking at seven terrorist organizations that engaged in suicide terrorism from 2000 through 2008 and find that both high levels of economic compensation and poor economic conditions are correlated with a greater number of suicide attacks.
Abstract:
Suicide terrorism remains a difficult action to rationally explain. Often, scholars rely on ideological or religious motivations to explain these seemingly irrational actions. While it seems clear that non-economic motives matter, it is also the case that economic compensation can incentivize suicide terrorism in ways that allow for more robust suicide campaigns. As such, we would expect that organizations that provide financial compensation to suicide terrorists will generate more attacks. In addition, the general economic environment plays into this in that poor economic conditions should increase the attractiveness of monetary compensation. To test our arguments, we conduct a series of statistical analyses looking at seven terrorist organizations that engaged in suicide terrorism from 2000 through 2008 and find that both high levels of economic compensation and poor economic conditions are correlated with a greater number of suicide attacks.
Rohrer, S. (2015). "When is a Pirate a Pirate?: The Evolution of Piracy and Maritime Sovereignty." Coriolis: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Maritime Studies. 5(2), 20-45
Abstract:
Creating a simple and direct definition of maritime piracy is something that states have struggled with for centuries. The contemporary division of maritime crime into maritime armed robbery in domestic waters, and maritime piracy in international waters may appear arbitrary. However, the contemporary definitions employed by the U.N. draw on centuries legal precedent and concern regarding state sovereignty attempting to balance the independence of states with the shared responsibility of ensuring a global public good. In this case, the ability to conduct unhindered interstate maritime trade. While contemporary definitions of maritime crime advanced in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea may contain technical weaknesses and enforcement remains difficult, they should not be easily dismissed. Fundamentally reimagining maritime borders could theoretically weaken the sovereign powers of a state within their internationally established maritime borders.
Abstract:
Creating a simple and direct definition of maritime piracy is something that states have struggled with for centuries. The contemporary division of maritime crime into maritime armed robbery in domestic waters, and maritime piracy in international waters may appear arbitrary. However, the contemporary definitions employed by the U.N. draw on centuries legal precedent and concern regarding state sovereignty attempting to balance the independence of states with the shared responsibility of ensuring a global public good. In this case, the ability to conduct unhindered interstate maritime trade. While contemporary definitions of maritime crime advanced in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea may contain technical weaknesses and enforcement remains difficult, they should not be easily dismissed. Fundamentally reimagining maritime borders could theoretically weaken the sovereign powers of a state within their internationally established maritime borders.
Rohrer, S. (2014). “What Makes a Prime Minister Great? : The Impact of LTA Psychological Characteristics and the Perceived Effectiveness of British Prime Ministers (1902-2004).” Journal of Research and Politics. October-December 2014, 1-8
AltMetrics Publication Score through 31 July 2018: AltMetric Score of 14 (top 10% of all articles ranked by attention, 839,234 out of 11,566,694 ranked pieces).
Abstract:
What role do the Leadership Trait Analysis (LTA) criteria projected by a British Prime Minister (PM) have on the perceived effectiveness of their time in office? This paper first applies automated at-a-distance content analysis and the LTA coding system to the study of 20th century British prime ministers (PMs), assessing these PMs’ scores for conceptual complexity, ability to control events, and need for power. These measures examine an individuals underlying desire for power, the belief that they can uniquely shape events, and their openness to new and/or conflicting information. The impact of these measures was then compared to the perceived effectiveness of the totality of the PM’s tenure in office.
This project provides evidence that British PMs who project psychological traits associated with strong power motivation are perceived by the respondents to the MORI/Leeds survey of British PMs to be significantly more effective while in office. In doing so, the article contributes more than a novel historical profile of British prime ministers to our understanding of politics and what psychological traits are associated with effective leadership. By drawing on PM debates, it offers insights about the relationship between effective leadership and LTA traits across the 20th Century. These insights may prove useful to political campaigns seeking to portray a likely PM candidate as more politically effective than his or her competition.
AltMetrics Publication Score through 31 July 2018: AltMetric Score of 14 (top 10% of all articles ranked by attention, 839,234 out of 11,566,694 ranked pieces).
Abstract:
What role do the Leadership Trait Analysis (LTA) criteria projected by a British Prime Minister (PM) have on the perceived effectiveness of their time in office? This paper first applies automated at-a-distance content analysis and the LTA coding system to the study of 20th century British prime ministers (PMs), assessing these PMs’ scores for conceptual complexity, ability to control events, and need for power. These measures examine an individuals underlying desire for power, the belief that they can uniquely shape events, and their openness to new and/or conflicting information. The impact of these measures was then compared to the perceived effectiveness of the totality of the PM’s tenure in office.
This project provides evidence that British PMs who project psychological traits associated with strong power motivation are perceived by the respondents to the MORI/Leeds survey of British PMs to be significantly more effective while in office. In doing so, the article contributes more than a novel historical profile of British prime ministers to our understanding of politics and what psychological traits are associated with effective leadership. By drawing on PM debates, it offers insights about the relationship between effective leadership and LTA traits across the 20th Century. These insights may prove useful to political campaigns seeking to portray a likely PM candidate as more politically effective than his or her competition.
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Data Collection
Maritime Crime Database v.2.0
The Maritime Crime Database (MCD) is a dataset that logs instances of maritime crime in both domestic and international waters. It contains multiple variables measuring governance, corruption, coercive state capacity, economic conditions, and maritime trade.
(This dataset is currently being updated to expand the range of cases. The dataset is selectively available by request. This status will change following the update and a formal release.)
The Maritime Crime Database (MCD) is a dataset that logs instances of maritime crime in both domestic and international waters. It contains multiple variables measuring governance, corruption, coercive state capacity, economic conditions, and maritime trade.
(This dataset is currently being updated to expand the range of cases. The dataset is selectively available by request. This status will change following the update and a formal release.)