A Social Network Analysis of Islamic Terrorism and the Malian Rebellion

CEPS/INSTEAD Working Papers 38

28 Pages Posted: 10 Nov 2012

See all articles by Olivier Walther

Olivier Walther

University of Florida

Dimitris Christopoulos

MODUL University of Vienna

Date Written: November 9, 2012

Abstract

Using social network analysis, our first aim is to illuminate the relationships between the Islamists and the rebels involved in the Malian conflict. We use a selection of newspaper articles to demonstrate that the connection between Islamists and rebels depends on brokers who passed from the Tuareg rebellion to radical groups. Our second objective is to detail the internal relationships within each of the subgroups. Our findings show how Islamists were affected by the accidental disappearance of one the AQMI regional emirs and how the death of one of the architects of the Tuareg rebellion affected rebel cohesion.

Keywords: terrorism, Islamists, Tuareg rebellion, social network analysis, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Sahel, Sahara

JEL Classification: N47

Suggested Citation

Walther, Olivier and Christopoulos, Dimitris, A Social Network Analysis of Islamic Terrorism and the Malian Rebellion (November 9, 2012). CEPS/INSTEAD Working Papers 38, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2173139 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2173139

Olivier Walther (Contact Author)

University of Florida ( email )

3205 Turlington Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611
United States

Dimitris Christopoulos

MODUL University of Vienna ( email )

Am Kahlenberg 1
Vienna, A-1190
Austria

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