Emergent Issues in the World War Against Global Terrorism

Introduction

Terrorist behavior is socio-economically expensive to societies around the world (Korstanje & Strang, 2018). Terrorists kill and injure people but they may require only simple weapons like knives to kill thousands of people, as was the case during the 9/11 crisis in the USA (USADHS, 2016; Strang & Alamieyeseigha, 2015). Terrorist acts may originate by domestic residents or foreigners crossing borders, but we do not know how, what, when or where terrorism will manifest (Strang, 2015). The problem is we do not have enough scholarly research to articulate the emerging risks of global terrorism (Oprescu, 2013; Green & Spry, 2014; Kastenmüller, Greitemeyer, Hindocha, Tattersall & Fischer, 2013; Smith & Fischbacher, 2009). These are all exemplary rationale to substantiate why it is important for risk and contingency management practitioners to know more about the emergent issues in global terrorism.

To accomplish that goal, this chapter examines the impact of global terrorism on the top most-impacted nations. This is a qualitative review of empirical studies along with data collected from actual terrorist attacks. Therefore, the method is a critical analysis integrated with a meta-analysis of selected studies. Retrospective and inductive analysis techniques are applied. The purpose of the chapter is to update risk and contingency planning specialists, practitioners and researchers about the state of the war on global terrorism. Additionally, future research directions are provided.