Over Pressure: Grassroots-Driven Transformation of (Militant) Organizations

Margaret Foster

Duke University

Abstract:

When might an influx of recruits boost group strength and resilience while damaging the leader’s perceptions of success? I argue that when resource constrained organizations grow quickly, their leaders face the choice of balancing short-term organizational survival with long-term mission focus. If leaders are unable to quickly socialize their recruits, bottom-up internal pressures can transform the priorities and operational focus of the organization. Through an innovative combination of machine learning and text analysis, I illustrate the logic and outcome via the example of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Changes AQAP’s activity patterns and self-presentation suggest that rapid introduction of personnel may come at the cost of fundamentally transforming the character of an organization.

Discussants:

Theo McLauchlin (University of Montreal)

Amelia Hoover-Green (Drexel University)

Peter Schram (Vanderbilt University)

OPSC Coordinator:

Emily Hencken Ritter (Vanderbilt University)

Graduate Assistant:

Heesun Yoo (Vanderbilt University)