Data Collection Projects
I have numerous published, soon-to-be-published, and ongoing data collection projects on rebel groups and insurgencies, focusing on cross-national, sub-national, incident-level, and combatant-level data.
Civilian Victimization
in the Kurdish Insurgency Dataset
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The dataset compiles 572 incidents of the PKK’s coercive acts, either directly targeting civilians or unintentionally harming civilian bystanders in 21 provinces located in southeastern Turkey with significant Kurdish-speaking populations between 2014-2019. 243 of these incidents have not been included in any other publicly available dataset. The characteristics of individuals (e.g., public worker, local politician, pro-government politician, alleged state informant, business owner) are recorded for each incident. The dataset will be made publicly available soon.
Performative Rebel Governance in Kurdish Insurgency Dataset
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The dataset is designed to capture the alternative expressions of sovereignty employed by Kurdish insurgents, which remain unaddressed by datasets focusing on more institutionalized forms of rebel governance. Specifically, this dataset focuses on the symbolic, rather than the concrete, demonstrations of state functions by the rebels. It compiles incident-level data on roadblocks, identity checks, and martyr funeral rites conducted by the PKK in Southeast Turkey from 2014 to 2022. The dataset comprises over 400 recorded incidents, each annotated with the date and district-level location. The dataset will be made publicly available soon.
PKK’s
Fallen Fighters
Dataset
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The dataset compiles data on 4,250 combatants who were PKK members and died in combat between 2012 and 2022. Several variables concerning the combatants' pre-and-post recruitment activities are included: gender, date of birth, place of birth, date of recruitment, place of recruitment, date of death, place of death, tribal affiliation, pre-recruitment activism, pre-recruitment imprisonment, family members who were PKK members, history of state-enforced displacement, education, post-recruitment training, special forces membership, highest rank achieved, and battles fought. The dataset will be made publicly available soon.
Rebel Strategies for Managing Intra‑Group Dissent Dataset
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The dataset covers African rebel groups active after the Cold War and compiles data on a wide array of coercive or institutional policies that rebel groups employ to manage or deter intra-group dissent arising among mid-ranking commanders and rank-and-file soldiers. The variables include written codes of conduct for regulating delinquent behavior among fighters, tribunal proceedings to try fighters who violate the group’s code of conduct, executions of rebel fighters accused of disobedience, punishments delivered to the families and loved ones of deserters, and the extent to which other rank-and-file soldiers are included or forced to take part in such punitive practices against former comrades. The data collection for this project is ongoing.
Rebel
Public Relations
Dataset
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The dataset covers African rebel groups active after the Cold War and compiles data on a wide array of public relations activities rebel groups conduct to reach out to domestic and international auiences. The variables include publishing press releases, hiring public relations firms for international outreach, using spokespersons and public figures, giving interview to international media outlets, organizing community events, engaging in charitable activities, NGO engagement, cultural productions (e.g., songs, films, documentaries), and cyber operations. The data collection for this project is ongoing.
Rank‑and‑File
Soldier Defections
Dataset
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The dataset covers African rebel groups active after the Cold War and compiles time-variant data on soldiers defecting from one organization to join another one. The data collection for this project is ongoing.
Northeast Indian
Militant Group Networks Dataset
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This is a time-series network dataset of cooperative and adversarial relations between Northeast Indian militant groups between 1981-2021. The dataset categorizes cooperative and adversarial relations into distinct types: four types of material cooperation (including joint operations, joint training, arms and funds exchange, and intelligence and logistics support), four types of non-material cooperation (such as meetings between leaders, joint public statements, formal umbrella groups, and rhetorical support), two types of violent infighting (armed clashes and assassinations/abductions), and two types of nonviolent rivalry (spying and critical public statements). The dataset will be made publicly available soon.
Indian Police and Counterinsurgency Capacity Dataset
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The dataset includes annual subnational-level information on the police, intelligence and counterinsurgency capacity of the police departments in each Indian state/union territory for the period 2004-2016.
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Data
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Codebook
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Cite as:
Onder, Ilayda B. 2023. “Target Hardening and Non-State Armed Groups’ Target Selection.” Terrorism and Political Violence.