Chicago Project on Security and Threats

{{Short description|Research institute based at the University of Chicago}}

The Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST) describes itself as an "international security affairs research institute based at the University of Chicago."{{cite web|url=http://cpost.uchicago.edu/about/|title = About|publisher = Chicago Project on Security and Threats|access-date = June 17, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.trackingterrorism.org/resource/university-chicago-chicago-project-security-and-terrorism-cpost|title = University of Chicago-Chicago Project on Security and Threats CPOST|access-date = June 17, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.trackingterrorism.org/resource/university-chicago-chicago-project-security-and-terrorism-cpost|title = Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism|last = Clowney|first = Caroline|access-date = June 17, 2014|publisher = Global Terrorism Research Project, Haverford College}}{{cite journal|url=http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/270/html|title = 230 Websites and Blogs for Terrorism Research|last = Tinnes|first = Judith|journal = Perspectives on Terrorism|volume = 7|issue = 3|date = 2013|access-date = June 17, 2014}}{{cite journal|url=http://www.terrorismanalysts.com/pt/index.php/pot/article/view/123|title = Terrorism Research Centres: 100 Institutes, Programs and Organisations in the Field of Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, Radicalisation and Asymmetric Warfare Studies|last = Freedman|first = Benjamin|volume = 4|issue = 5|date = 2010|access-date = June 17, 2014|journal = Perspectives on Terrorism}} Formerly known as the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism, and the Chicago Project on Suicide Terrorism, it was founded in 2004 by Robert Pape, professor of political science at the University of Chicago and author of Dying to Win, a book about suicide terrorism. It compiles, maintains and publishes the Database on Suicide Attacks, a comprehensive dataset of suicide terrorism around the world that covers attacks from 1974 to 2019.{{cite web|title=Database on Suicide Attacks|url=https://cpost.uchicago.edu/research/suicide_attacks/database_on_suicide_attacks/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428001746/https://cpost.uchicago.edu/research/suicide_attacks/database_on_suicide_attacks/ |archive-date=2021-04-28 |access-date=April 27, 2021|publisher=Chicago Project on Security and Threats}} CPOST frequently works closely with the United States government, particularly the Department of Defense.

Media coverage

The work of CPOST has been covered in The New York Times,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/opinion/31pape.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|title = What Makes Chechen Women So Dangerous?|last1 = Pape|first1 = Robert A.|last2 = O'Rourke|first2 = Lindsey|last3 = McDermit|first3 = Jenna|date = March 30, 2010|access-date = June 17, 2014|newspaper =The New York Times}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/weekinreview/02myers.html|title = The 'Wanted Dead' Option in the War on Terror|author = Steven Lee Myers|newspaper =The New York Times|date = May 2, 2010|access-date = June 17, 2014}} The Washington Post,{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/29/a-hotline-to-cool-asian-crises/|title = A hotline to cool Asian crises|last = Pape|first = Robert| newspaper=The Washington Post |authorlink = Robert Pape|date = April 29, 2014|access-date = June 17, 2014}} The Boston Globe,{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/02/07/winter-olympics-shroud-chechen-rebels-complicated-agenda/SIC2oPGPftrHPoO3LhTEsJ/story.html|title = Chechen rebels' complicated agenda|last = Pape|first = Robert|newspaper = The Boston Globe|access-date = June 17, 2014|date = February 7, 2014}} Foreign Policy,{{cite web|url=http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/01/21/meet_the_female_terrorists_keeping_putin_up_at_night|title = Meet the Female Terrorists Keeping Putin Up at Night|last = Kozlowska|first = Hanna|date = January 22, 2014|access-date = June 17, 2014|publisher = Foreign Policy}} and ABC News.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/sochi-olympic-security-concerns-loom-wake-russian-bus/story?id=20648103|title = Sochi Olympic Security Concerns Loom in Wake of Russian Bus Bombing|date = October 22, 2013|access-date = June 17, 2014|work = ABC News|last1 = Meek|first1 = James Gordon|last2 = Galli|first2 = Cindy|last3 = Ferran|first3 = Lee}}

CPOST members have appeared on C-SPAN shows discussing terrorism{{cite web|url=http://www.c-span.org/search/?sponsorid[]=103149|title = Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism|access-date = June 17, 2014|publisher = C-SPAN}} as well as on CNN.{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/07/business/why-western-sanctions-against-russia-will-inflame-ukraine-crisis/|title = Why Western sanctions against Russia could inflame Ukraine crisis|last = Pape|first = Robert|date = March 7, 2014|access-date = June 17, 2014}} CPOST recently released its first report titled "[https://www.aspi.org.au/report/american-face-isis-analysis-isis-related-terrorism-us-march-2014-august-2016 The American Face of ISIS]" in partnership with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/02/02/trumps-travel-ban-misses-the-true-threat-homegrown-terrorism-american-isis/|title=Trump's Travel Ban Misses the True Threat: Homegrown Terrorism|website=Foreign Policy|access-date=2017-02-08}}{{Cite news|last1=Pape|first1=Robert|last2=Decety|first2=Jean|last3=Ruby|first3=Keven|last4=Albanez Rivas|first4=Alejandro|last5=Jessen|first5=Jens|last6=Wegner|first6=Caroline|date=2017-02-03|title=The American face of ISIS|language=en-US|newspaper=|url=https://www.aspi.org.au/report/american-face-isis-analysis-isis-related-terrorism-us-march-2014-august-2016|access-date=April 27, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/02/03/report-trump-travel-ban-attacks-nonexistent-terrorism-problem/|title=Report: Trump Travel Ban Attacks Nonexistent Terrorism Problem|date=2017-02-04|website=CBS Chicago|access-date=2017-02-08}}

The Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST) has contributed to the analysis and development of security policies for places of worship. In 2024, the federal government announced a $400 million increase in funding to enhance security at these locations. This initiative supports non-profit organizations, including religious institutions, in implementing vital security measures to protect against various threats.{{cite news |title=U.S. boosts funding to protect places of worship |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/05/05/400-million-boost-in-federal-funds-for-security-at-places-of-worship/ |date=2024-05-05 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2024-06-21}}{{cite news |title=Government Security Grants for Non-Profit Place of Worship |url=https://umbrellasecurity.com/government-security-grants-for-non-profit-place-of-worship/ |date=2024-05-18 |website=Umbrella Security |access-date=2024-06-21}}

CPOST and GTD

Pape et al. reported major differences in the numbers of suicide terrorist incidents by year between CPOST and the Global Terrorism Database (GTD). For 2008 and 2013 they reported the following:{{Citation|last1=Pape|first1=Robert|title=How to fix the flaws in the Global Terrorism Database and why it matters|date=August 11, 2014|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2014/08/11/how-to-fix-the-flaws-in-the-global-terrorism-database-and-why-it-matters/|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=2016-01-08|last2=Ruby|first2=Keven|last3=Bauer|first3=Vincent|last4=Jenkins|first4=Gentry|author-link=Robert Pape}}

class="wikitable" \|+ Pape's comparison of GTD and CPOSTIf the numbers in 2007 and 2013 are independent Poisson counts, then the GTD results show an increase of 8.3 standard deviations, while CPOST reports a 3.2 standard deviation decrease; both are statistically significant by virtually all commonly used criteria. ! !! GTD !! CPOST
2007 \| 359 \|\| 521
2013 \| 619 \|\| 423
% change \| 72% \|\| -19%

class="wikitable"

|+ Pape's comparison of GTD and CPOSTIf the numbers in 2007 and 2013 are independent Poisson counts, then the GTD results show an increase of 8.3 standard deviations, while CPOST reports a 3.2 standard deviation decrease; both are statistically significant by virtually all commonly used criteria.

! !! GTD !! CPOST

2007

| 359 || 521

2013

| 619 || 423

% change

| 72% || -19%

Pape et al. quote GTD officials as claiming that their “researchers, past and present, have ensured that the entire database uses the same standards for inclusion and is as comprehensive as possible.” Pape et al. disagree, noting that the difference between the GTD and CPOST counts is easily explained by a change in GTD methodology that occurred 11/1/2011.{{Citation

| date = June 2015

| title = GTD Global Terrorism Database Codebook: Inclusion Criteria and Variables

| publisher = National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)

| place = University of Maryland, College Park, MD

| page = 4

| url = http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/contact/

| access-date = 2015-11-28

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150712220715/http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/contact/

| archive-date = 2015-07-12

| url-status = dead

}} Meanwhile, they claim their CPOST methodology has been consistent since their first recorded incident in 1982. They conclude, “American policy makers and the public deserve the best data available on terrorism, one of the most important national security issues of our time.”

References

External links

{{official website|https://cpost.uchicago.edu/}}
[https://cpost.uchicago.edu/research/suicide_attacks/database_on_suicide_attacks/ Database on Suicide Attacks website]

{{coord|41.78894|-87.59825|type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-IL|display=title}}

Category:Terrorism research institutes

Category:Research institutes of the University of Chicago

Category:Foreign policy and strategy think tanks in the United States

Category:Academic and educational organizations in Chicago