The Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation (ARPC) has started a research study with the University of Queensland (UQ) Business School on the evolving experience and meaning of terrorism.

ARPC CEO Christopher Wallace says newer forms of attack and social unrest do not typically fit existing definitions of terrorism but may still cause loss of life, disruption to businesses and society and financial losses and social unrest.

“ARPC’s strategic priorities include extending thought leadership and expertise and embracing and evolving to a changing market environment, priorities which underpin our support for research like this on terrorism trends,” Dr Wallace said.

The research study, the second in a serious of ARPC/UQ papers focused on terrorism, is looking at how definitions might evolve over time with various forms of extremist behaviour and civil unrest.

“Attacks such as mass shootings and knife attacks are occurring outside the extremism which underpinned the September 11 attacks in 2001,” UQ research team leader Paula Jarzabkowski said.

The university team on the research project also includes research fellows Corinne Unger and Katie Meissner.