LAUSR

This article explores the limitations of both systemic and lower‐level theories, as well as the limitations associated with the use of theoretical models in the field of Terrorism Studies. They are useful to a degree, as they allow analysts to parse out various facets of a phenomenon and examine them independently. However, this approach involves a trade‐off, offering a measure of parsimony and greater generalizability at the expense of accuracy. For those who desire more accuracy, their models must be more complex and, therefore, generate less generalizable results. What is more, the deductive process becomes increasingly more difficult as theoretical models increase in complexity. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.