Global Terrorism: What is Happening To our World?

Steavi SwinsonNortheastern UniversityMasters of Professional Studies in Geographic Information TechnologyCapstone ProjectCapstone Advisor: Dr. Cordula Robinson

Abstract

Here we serve to analyze global terrorism, events that occurred within the United States between 1985-2016, specifically, a comparison of terrorist events before 9/11 and after 9/11. These data are analyzed along with weapons types, terrorist organizations responsible, target types, and temporal analysis. The main analysis performed is kernel density and pivot tables. Results show a decrease in terrorism, but an increase in awareness. Significance is because news media are more prominent nowadays, most people are under the impression that terrorism has increased recently. Due to increasing social media and spread of information, people are led to believe that terrorism occurs daily. The analysis shows the opposite, and current social and political influences support these data. Social society changes frequently; we can predict the next social change will impact global terrorism as well. The Global War on Terror is focused on specific groups of networks determined to destroy the US. It is necessary to assess patterns, identify and analyze trends to prevent future attacks and create preventative measures. This analysis potentially develops indicators to improve analysis of foreign interests.

Methods and Data

The main analysis performed on this data is kernel density and pivot tables. As you will see in the following maps, a kernel density was performed on events within the United States versus global events, within the same time periods. This was done to demonstrate, that even though here in the States, it seems that we are facing terrorism every day, compared to the rest of the world, we don’t even come close to what they face.

Conclusion

Within the past few years, there has been a social revolution; with increase in social media, increase in spread of information, and increase of internet usage. While the results show a decrease in global terrorism over the past 30 years, news media influences us to believe there is an increase because of this social revolution. I believe this has contributed greatly to global terrorism. Resources have become unlimited and uncontrollable. With the creation of new organizations, and the influence of lone wolf attacks, we can predict to see an increase in attacks, due to the spike in 2016, continuing through today. Overall, I believe the social and political influences, determine the trends and patterns of global terrorism, because of all the different perspectives, beliefs, and diversity that people hold.