The attacks on September 11, 2001, marked a turning point in Americans’ experience with terrorism. The attacks differed from previous attacks on American soil and abroad in terms of the combination of scale, mode, perpetrators, and, perhaps especially, the targets and their locations. Increasing interest in and attention to the study of terrorism – and investments in these efforts – followed almost immediately. After so many years of investment, we may expect that much more is known about terrorism now than was at the beginning of the century. Is this the case? What has been learned, and what questions remain unanswered? Come to this Hayek Dinner, listen to Susanne Martin’s thoughts, and interact.
Susanne Martin is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Nevada, Reno. Professor Martin’s work on political violence is situated within the fields of comparative politics and international relations. In her research, Professor Martin investigates political uses of violent and nonviolent tactics within and outside conventional warfare. Her book with Leonard Weinberg, The Role of Terrorism in Twenty-first Century Warfare, was published in 2017. Professor Martin is also the Director of the International Affairs program and the interim Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Political Science. Susanne Martin earned her doctorate in Government at the University of Texas at Austin.
On September 11, 2018, Susanne Martin, Associate professor of Political Science at University of Nevada, Reno, discussed what we have learned about terrorism since September 11, 2001. In short, we have learned a little but not a lot. What we have primarily learned is that terrorists tend to adapt to the efforts made to address terrorism, changing their targets and approaches. What we knew before and must continue to face is the fact that terrorism is very difficult to prevent.