Waves of Terrorism lecture

What are the waves of terrorism?

1. anarchist

2. anti-colonial

3. revolutionary

4. religious extremism

Do waves disappear?

No, waves don’t disappear but fade

What is happening to the religious extremism wave?

The religious extremism wave is fading

How can extremists form networks without having direct contact?

They create a network through shared ideology. They can be influenced by each other’s extremist acts or talk online.

What role do manifestos play?

Manifestos are created to influence others and can mention the ideologies of others

What is a ‘salad bar’ ideology

Ideology is taken from various ideologies, taking a little bit from each.

What demographics make the media more likely to define an act as terrorism?

If the perpetrator is male or racialized

What is an example of how governments play a role in framing terrorism?

Luigi Mangione is being charged with terrorism, which is unusual for shooters

Why is there a lack of a universal definition?

States often avoid consensus due to political implications

What are two core components of terrorism?

Violence and propaganda

What is the timeframe of the anarchist wave?

1880s-1920s

What is the ideology of the anarchist wave?

Anti-state, revolutionary

What are the tactics of the anarchist wave?

assassinations, bombings

What is the timeframe of the anti-colonial wave?

1920s-1960s

What is the ideology of the anti-colonial wave?

national liberation

What are the tactics of the anti-colonial wave?

guerrilla warfare, assassinations

What is the timeframe of the New Left wave?

1960s-1980s

What is the ideology of the New Left wave?

Marxist, anti-imperialist

What are the tactics of the New Left wave?

Hijackings, kidnappings, urban bombings

What is the timeframe of the Religious wave

1979-present

What is the ideology of the Religious wave?

Religious extremism, especially Islamist

What are the tactics of the Religious wave?

suicide attacks, mass casualty terror

What are the indicators of a shift to a fifth wave of terrorism?

1. rise of non-religious actors: white supremacists, incels, eco-fascists

2. digital radicalization, lone actors, no formal group links

3. new tactics: livestreamed attacks, hybrid ideologies, racialized/gendered targets