ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews methods of measuring WS position and terrorism incidents. Other scholars generally have used the block model analysis of Snyder and Kick’s (1979) as the basis for WS classifications. Thus, Snyder and Kick’s research will be the starting point for measuring WS position. However, Snyder and Kick’s classification has also been criticized (Bollen 1983; Jackman 1980) and suggestions for a better method, which would eliminate misclassifications of countries, shall also be reviewed. The point is that there is no one acceptable measurement of WS positions. It will be demonstrated in this descriptive analysis different views on how WS position has been measured by different scholars. Also, included in this chapter is a discussion of measurement issues related to attempts to record terrorism. Various terrorism databases are reviewed. Finally, the distribution of terrorism by WS position is compiled from these data.
