Citation

Warner J, Lizzo S. Terrorism Polit. Violence 2023; 35(1): 17-46.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/09546553.2020.1860950

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article introduces the "Boko Haram disaggregation problem," or the often frequent failure by observers to disaggregate the group following its August 2016 split into two distinct factions, instead, labeling and studying all factions as "Boko Haram." It asks: What are the origins of the "Boko Haram disaggregation problem," and, given this phenomenon, what are the possibilities and constraints in understanding profiles of violence between the pre-2016 and post-2016 iterations of the group(s)? It argues that the "Boko Haram disaggregation problem" has origins both internal and external to the group(s), most prevalent in quantitative academic research. Highlighting the challenges of this phenomenon, it uses data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) from 2009 to 2018 to compare profiles of violence between various "Boko Haram" factions. In sum, it shows why beyond merely a methodological challenge, overcoming this phenomenon has real-world impacts for addressing the violence perpetrated by these groups.

Language: en

Keywords

Boko Haram; Boko Haram disaggregation problem; Global Terrorism Database (GTD); Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP); Jama’atuAhlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad” (JAS)