Understanding the Fear of Terrorism in Türkiye and Taiwan

Abstract 

This study investigates the heightened fear of terrorism in Türkiye and Taiwan, two countries with distinct histories of terrorism yet similar levels of fear, despite differing exposure to terrorist incidents. Utilizing data from the seventh wave of the World Values Survey, the research employs Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR) to examine the effects of various media sources -television, newspapers, and the internet- on fear of terrorism in both countries. The findings indicate that while internet usage increases fear of terrorism in Türkiye, it has no significant effect in Taiwan. Conversely, exposure to television elevates fear of terrorism in Taiwan but not in Türkiye. Furthermore, the study underscores the influence of demographic and sociocultural factors, such as gender and the importance of religion, in shaping perceptions of terrorism. Women in both countries report higher levels of fear, and participants with stronger religious beliefs demonstrate increased fear. This research contributes to the existing literature by providing a comparative analysis of two geographically and politically distinct nations, highlighting the role of media and contextual factors in understanding public fear of terrorism. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers in developing targeted interventions to address these fears.

Keywords: Taiwan, Türkiye, Fear of Terrorism, Ordinal Logistic Regression.

LINK: https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4326872