@article{THESIS,
      recid = {4174},
      author = {Johnson, Alanna},
      title = {Targeting and Reputation Building Among Terror  Organizations},
      publisher = {University of Chicago},
      school = {M.A.},
      address = {2022-08},
      number = {THESIS},
      abstract = {Terror groups do not attack random targets and we know  this because there is strategy and logic behind their  target selection. Many terror groups are known for civilian  attacks, but a considerable number of groups simultaneously  attack “hard targets” as well. Many groups target military  bases, soldiers, police forces, and government officials,  and even high-profile political leaders. Given that hard  targets are well-protected, costlier to attack, and there  is a greater risk of failure, why would some terror groups  focus relatively more of their attacks on hard targets?  Existing literature offers several explanations for  terrorists’ target selection. Some scholars argue that is  it is primarily an organizations attributes, like size,  age, and ideology, that contribute to target selections,  others focus on the psychological aspects of the group, and  another group of scholars explain target selection through  an objective lens. Utilizing the Reputation of Terror  Groups Dataset (1980-2011) and including indicators from  the Global Terrorism Database, we offer a new explanation  and argue that terror groups that seek to build a positive  reputation among their local constituency are the ones that  are more likely to go after a greater number of hard  targets. By illustrating the link between reputation  building and target selection, this work paves the way for  thinking about how reputationally motivated terror groups  compete against one another. },
      url = {http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/4174},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.6082/uchicago.4174},
}