Comparative analysis of public opinion and hostage attack victims’ attitudes

How does an extreme situation, such as a violent attack, impact political opinions of the affected population? Using original data from the hostage crisis in the North Ossetian town of Beslan, this article explores the differences and similarities in attitudes towards the key social and political issues between the directly affected and the general populations of the town. The study was constructed as a quasi-natural experiment of a rare kind, since the attack generated directly affected and unaffected populations living in the same society. Our research shows that despite deep distrust toward both the national and regional government, respondents still indicated a relatively low inclination to engage in civic activity in opposition to the state authorities as a result of the attack. The results of the study throw light on the question of why the Beslan attack did not become a catalyst for change in North Ossetia: absence of political opposition disempowers the general population and prevents social chang

Criminology · Political science · Politics · Public opinion · European and Russian Geopolitical Military Strategies · Law · Post-Soviet Geopolitical Dynamics · Psychology · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence