Regional features of the dynamics and structure of terrorist activity in 1970–2012

Abstract

The article considers the spatiotemporal approach to studying terrorist activity. An integral indicator of the intensity level of terrorist tension is proposed, and on its basis, six regions of terrorist activity in the world are singled out: Asian, Middle Eastern, North African, South African, American and European. Each of the regions is characterized by specific historical features, and they also differ in such parameters as intensity, formedness, and scale of terrorist activity. Based on a case study of one of the regions, we describe in detail a model of territorial structure of terrorist activity, consisting of three zones differing in intensity, as well as a number of other parameters. The article realizes the multiscale principle—terrorist activity is analyzed at three territorial levels: world, country (for Russia), and regional (with a case study of southern Russia).