The central hypothesis of this study is that terrorist organizations choose to use females as suicide bombers not only as tactical innovation but also to “signal” or send a message to various audiences. In order to meet the research objectives of this study, two terrorist organizations—the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Chechen Separatists or those individuals associated with the Chechen Resistance—are examined in detail from their inception through 2013 using a structured focused comparison methodology. Evidence is found to support both of the studies’ main hypotheses. First, female suicide bombers are used by terrorist organizations because they are a 1) tactical advantage, and 2) to “signal” or send a message to various audiences. Their “entertainment” or shock value maximizes the psychological punch intended for delivery to a variety of audiences. These two reasons are not mutually exclusive but are colored by contextual considerations unique to each case. While deliberation was given to a variety of socio-political factors unique to each organization—such as popular support for suicide attacks perpetrated by females, indication of rival terrorist organizations, counterterrorism and political events that may have affected the terrorist organizations’ preference for females—insight into the operational characteristics surrounding individual suicide attacks was central in highlighting patterns in the organizational use of female suicide bombers. Those patterns are consistent across both cases and suggest that when females’ use is explained by the tactical innovation model, they are used overwhelmingly in suicide attacks where getting closer to intended targets—usually defined as security and political targets—matter. In contrast, suicide attacks explained by the signaling model are characterized by their novelty usually representing a deviation from terrorist organizations’ operational norms—deemed operational suicide attack anomalies in this study—characterized many times as “only” suicide attacks, “firsts [of that kind of],” or the most spectacular suicide attacks carried out by the organization.

Denna teoriprövande fallstudie försöker svara på frågan om små staters ökande militära internationella ambitioner, och villighet att ta militära risker är ett förväntat beteende utifrån ett brett realistisk perspektiv. I centrum för undersökningen går den svenska säkerhets- och försvarspolitiska utveckling under luppen. Uppsatsen har en hög abstraktionsnivå och under undersökningens gång görs tre nedslag som alla försöker belysa realismen aktualitet. Inledningsvis undersöks dagens oklara hotbild, för att därefter ta en närmare titt på de motåtgärder som EU- länderna gemensamt har bestämt sig för, varvid begreppet Peace support operations belyses ur ett realistiskt perspektiv. Slutligen diskuteras hur realismen kan förklara små staters agerande varvid olika möjligheter diskuteras. Detta leder fram till en slutsats som konstaterar att små staters militära aktivitet mycket väl kan öka hotet mot den egna staten snarare än att eliminera det, vilket inte är ett förväntat realistiskt beteende av små stater. Dock finns indikationer på att små stater, möjligen använder sig av militära medel för att indirekt maximera sin makt i andra samanhang. ( 26818 ord) / In this case study the pattern of small states increasing willingness to use military force on the international arena, is being used in order to test the realist theory. Are the actions taken by small states expected behavior according to a broad understanding of the realist theory? To find out, the Swedish military development is put in the center of this study. The study proceeds in three steps; first out is a closer look at the new security threat, next the counter measures is examined, in particular the Peace Support Operations. Finally the realist theory tries to explain the behavior of small states. The conclusion of this study indicates that the increasing willingness to take military risk actually can increase the level of threat against the small state. This is not an expected behavior of a small state. Although the study also indicate that small states use its military operation, to indirectly gain power in other fields of interest. (26818 words)