Advisor Information
Gina Ligon
Location
Room 231
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
1-3-2019 12:45 PM
End Date
1-3-2019 2:00 PM
Abstract
A growing number of studies have identified shared characteristics among homegrown violent extremists (HVEs). While these studies have focused on demographic characteristics such as age and marital status, research on the educational attainment of HVEs is underdeveloped. The current study utilizes general strain theory and examines the relationship between educational attainment and type of criminal participation using a sample of 215 HVEs who engaged in or were charged with extremist participation between 2011 and 2017. We utilized educational attainment as a measure of an individual’s strain to identify a relationship with their decision to engage in violent or nonviolent extremist activities. The results suggest educational attainment is related to extremist participation, though those with greater educational attainment were higher level criminal participants.
Today's Students, Tomorrow's Terrorists: An Analysis of Education and Extremist Participation
Room 231
A growing number of studies have identified shared characteristics among homegrown violent extremists (HVEs). While these studies have focused on demographic characteristics such as age and marital status, research on the educational attainment of HVEs is underdeveloped. The current study utilizes general strain theory and examines the relationship between educational attainment and type of criminal participation using a sample of 215 HVEs who engaged in or were charged with extremist participation between 2011 and 2017. We utilized educational attainment as a measure of an individual’s strain to identify a relationship with their decision to engage in violent or nonviolent extremist activities. The results suggest educational attainment is related to extremist participation, though those with greater educational attainment were higher level criminal participants.