Terrorist Recruitment

Terrorist Groups Are Who They Recruit

So What?

Terrorist groups recruit based on specific characteristics, including military background and professional expertise. Past research shows the more educated and trained recruits are, the more lethal terrorist groups are.

Project Summary

This research project aims to enhance our knowledge of terrorist organizations’ recruitment tactics and how those tactics affect a group's violent behavior. Characteristics of recruits will be compared against group capabilities.

Purpose/Objectives

This study examines terrorist recruitment characteristics (such as military experience, professional expertise, age, and education) against terrorist groups’ many operational characteristics (like lethality, success, complexity, innovation, and target types). This study will also evaluate recruitment dynamics and success among terrorist groups operating in the U.S.

Method

This multi-method study is broken into four stages:

Stage 1 commissioned a series of expert reports on how specific recruitment characteristics shape operational patterns among a sample of armed groups.

Based on the findings of Stage 1, Stage 2 (2023-2024) will examine how membership characteristics are linked to the behavior of armed groups cross-nationally and over time through open-source documents.

Stage 3 (2024-2025) will test and apply the insights from Stages 1 and 2 against terrorist organizations presently operating in the U.S. through the use of open-source documents.

Finally, in Stage 4 the researchers will develop a comprehensive report to provide a framework for anticipating terrorist threats based on groups’ recruitment practices.

Outputs and Impact

Seven expert reports
One new data set
Qualitative analyses
One comprehensive report that offers a succinct framework for anticipating terrorist threats as a function of their recruitment practices
Yearly briefings and interim findings shared with DHS

	How Religion Shapes the Recruitment Strategies and Behavior of Violent Non-State Actors This study examines terrorist recruitment characteristics (such as military experience, professional expertise, age, gender, and education) against terrorist groups’ many operational characteristics.
	The Drivers and Consequences of Child Recruitment by Violent Non-State Actors This report surveys factors leading VNSAs to recruit children and considers how their inclusion can impact operational behavior.
	Women’s Recruitment into Violent Non-State Actors The recruitment patterns of violent extremist organizations are vital to inform counterterrorism and prevention efforts. Recently, shifts in the populations some extremist organizations recruit from have led to diversity of membership and tactics, and new trends in organizational behavior.
	Ideology, Recruitment, and Armed Group Violence The recruitment patterns of violent extremist organizations are vital to inform counterterrorism and prevention efforts. Recently, shifts in the populations some extremist organizations recruit from have led to diversity of membership and tactics, and new trends in organizational behavior.
	The Professional and Educational Backgrounds within Non-State Actors This research considers the intersection between recruitment for special professional or educational background and organizational performance among violent nonstate actors (VNSAs).
	Terrorist Recruitment Narratives: Key Themes from Expert Reports Violent non-state actors (VSNAs) who use terrorism recruit a wide range of people and draw upon distinct features to entice them.