Lone Wolf Terrorism

Is lone wolf terrorism on the rise and if so, how could this be explained?

The recent terrorist attacks by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway once again put the phenomenon of the Lone Wolf Terrorist in the spotlights. According to some, lone wolf terrorism is on the rise and stands for a new, diffuse and frightening individualized form of terrorism. However, lone wolf terrorism is not that new and questions can be raised by the supposed ‘loneliness’ of  lone wolves. In this lecture, key questions concerning the phenomenon of lone wolf terrorism will be dealt with, both from a conceptual as an empirical point of view. Is lone wolf terrorism on the rise and if so, how could this be explained? What motivates lone wolf terrorists? And is it possible to sketch a profile of a lone wolf terrorist?

Jelle van Buuren is a political scientist an PhD-researcher at the Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism. His research centers around the dynamics between political legitimacy, conspiracy thinking, political violence and lone actors.

Liesbeth van der Heide (political sciences and international organisations) is a junior-researcher at the Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism. She takes part in a research project, in cooperation with the Instituut voor Veiligheids-en Crisismanagement (COT), which focuses on crisis communication concerning terrorist incidents.

Interessante links
Centre for Terrorism and Counterterrorism Jelle van Buuren
Buro Jansen & Janssen Onder druk. Terrorismebestrijding in Nederland