Political Violence - Terrorism and Extremism

Political extremism:

willingness to engage in undemocratic, unlawful, or violent behaviour to achieve political goals

Why do extremist ideologies work? (3)

• phenomenon of entatitativity

• common goals and a common fate

• ritualized elements

Extremist Terrorism & Individual radicalization (lone wolf phenomenon):

• usually targets out-groups

• may target ineligible in-group members or even eligible in-group members

• “lone wolf terrorism”

• Anders Breivik

Terrorism:

a contested concept with over 109 definitions and no universally agreed upon definition. terrorism is a pejorative label for this kind of political violence- delegitimizes acts of violence.

Key characteristics of terrorism:

1. demonstrative use of violence against human beings

2. the conditional threat of violence

3. the deliberate production of terror or fear in a targeted group

4. the targeting of civilians, innocents

5. illegal, immoral, criminal nature of acts of violence

6. predominantly political character of the act

7. asymmetric violence

Boaz Ganor’s definition of terrorism:

the intentional use of, or threat to use violence against civilian targets to attain political aims

Why having an internationally recognized definition of terrorism is important:

without agreement on what constitutes terrorism the ability for states to act on the threats is greatly inhibited. it is an international issue that requires an international definition. it is an operative concern.

critical terrorism studies:

Critical of:

• only dissenting violence is terrorism

• government actions are excluded from acts of terrorism

• state actions shouldn’t be ignored

terrorism and ethics

terrorism vs. freedom fighters (no difference in actions, huge difference in framing).

“last resort” terrorism, a final way of acting out against a repressive or oppressive regime

The four waves of terrorism:

1. The Golden Age of Assassination (1880-1920)

2. The Anti-Colonial Wave (1920-1960)

3. The New Left Wave (faded in the 1990s)

4. The Religious Wave (1970s onward)

Why does terrorism occur (2)?

Failed States & Poverty

Failed States

Terrorism arises in failed states as a response to the lack of order and structure within the society. They can no longer deliver the positive political goods to their people and therefore there will movements (terrorist movements) to install new leadership that promises to provide these goods. Often, terrorist organizations will recreuit people based on these promises.

Suicide Bombers

The idea of martyrdom, explained by the poverty hypothesis. There is no better life to return to…

Maxwell Gladwell’s theory on how ideas spread (4):

1. messenger

2. messages

3. context + opportunity

4. grievances

How does terrorism end?

When terrorism ends it is usually for one of a few reasons. Failure to meet their political goals, suppression tactics from the regime, or the capturing of leaders. The end of terrorism can be understood as the cessation of or dramatic decrease in the use of terrorist violence. Terrorist groups can also choose to move away from violence or their violence may become the violence used by a legitimate power if they succeed in accomplishing their political aims.