Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism

Michael C. Horowitz · 2010 · International Organization

Summary. This paper examines how terrorist groups adopt suicide tactics as an innovation, showing that organizational capabilities and external linkages between groups significantly influence adoption patterns. The study finds that occupation, previously considered a key predictor, does not reliably explain which groups adopt suicide terrorism. By treating suicide tactics as a military innovation diffusion problem, the paper connects terrorism studies to broader innovation theory.

Read the original

Cite this article

Horowitz, M. C.. (2010). Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism. International Organization. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020818309990233

@article{horowitz-2010-nonstate-actors-diffusion-innovations-case,
  title   = {Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism},
  author  = {Michael C. Horowitz},
  journal = {International Organization},
  year    = {2010},
  doi     = {10.1017/s0020818309990233},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020818309990233}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Nonstate Actors and the Diffusion of Innovations: The Case of Suicide Terrorism
AU  - Michael C. Horowitz
JO  - International Organization
PY  - 2010
DO  - 10.1017/s0020818309990233
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020818309990233
ER  -

Details

DOI: 10.1017/s0020818309990233
Countries: United States
Regions: North America
Categories: innovation-theory, innovation-networks, general-innovation
Added: 2026-04-28