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Photograph of Joe Young

Joe Young Professor Justice, Law & Criminology

Additional Positions at AU
Professor--School of International Service
Degrees
Ph.D.

Bio
Professor Young's interests relate to the cross-national causes and consequences of political violence. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles across academic disciplines, including political science, economics, criminology, and international studies. He has been invited to speak to organizations in the defense community and has consulted on a Department of Defense initiative focusing on countering violent extremism. The National Science Foundation and the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) have funded his research. Professor Young will be releasing a book about torture and counterterrorism in July 2020. More information on Professor Young can be found on his professional website.




Twitter Profile

For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Summer 2024

  • JLC-674 Domestic Terrorism/Pol Violen

Fall 2024

  • JLC-899 Doctoral Dissertation

  • SIS-899 Doctoral Dissertation

Spring 2025

  • JLC-674 Domestic Terrorism/Pol Violen

  • JLC-899 Doctoral Dissertation

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Professional Presentations

Invited Presentations

“American National Security: the Threat of Terrorism”, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, April 2012.

“Violence and the Rule of Law,” Washington College of Law, American University, February 2012.

  Conference Presentations

"How Conflict Ends,” Roundtable discussion, Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 2012.

“Weapon of the Weak? The Effects of State Capacity on Terrorism,” (with Cullen Hendrix) Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 2012.    • “Tyrants and Terrorism:Why some Autocrats are Terrorized while Others are Not,” (with Justin Conrad and Courtenay Conrad) International Studies Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, Mar. 2012.

“Comparing Role-Specific Terrorist Profiles,” (with Paul Gill) American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting, Washington, DC Nov. 2011.

Selected Publications

Victor Asal, Jacob Mauslein, Amanda Murdie, Joseph K. Young, Ken Cousins, and Chris Bronk. 2016. “Repression, Education and Politically Motivated Denial of Service Attacks,” Journal of Global Security Studies 1(3): 235-247. 

Michael G. Findley, and Joseph K. Young. 2015. “Terrorism, Spoiling, and the Resolution of Civil Wars,” Journal of Politics 77(4): 1115-1128.

Mike Findley, Jim Piazza, and Joseph K. Young. 2012. “Games Rivals Play: Interstate Rivalry and Transnational Terrorism,” Journal of Politics 74(1): 235-248.

Christopher W. Mullins and Joseph K. Young. 2012. “Cultures of Violence and Acts of Terror: Applying a Legitimation-Habituation Model to Terrorism,” Crime & Delinquency 58(1): 28-56.   

AU Experts

Area of Expertise

Terrorism and political violence, ISIL, ISIS, causes of political violence, torture

Additional Information

Joseph Young's primary research interest is the cross-national causes and consequences of terrorism. His recent research explores the relationship between regime type and the propensity of a state to be the target of terrorism.  Additionally, his research explores how state responses encourage or discourage future terrorism.  Dr. Young has published a dozen peer-reviewed articles across academic disciplines, including political science, economics, criminology, and international studies. He has been invited to speak to organizations in the defense community and has consulted on a Department of Defense initiative focusing on countering violent extremism. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Human Rights and for the Paradigm Publishers International Studies Intensives Book Series.  The National Science Foundation and the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism have funded his research.

For the Media

To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

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