Goodwin - 2006

What is Terrorism?

  • Definitions vary; there is no universally accepted definition.

  • Key elements common in definitions:

    • Intentional use of violence to influence audiences.

    • Debate regarding whether terrorism includes actions by states.

  • Proposed definition: "Strategic use of violence by oppositional political groups against civilians to influence various audiences."

  • Distinction between revolutionary terrorism and conventional warfare:

    • Targeting civilians vs. armed forces.

Types of Terrorism

1. Selective (Individualized) Terrorism

  • Targets known individuals based on their roles.

  • Historical examples linked to 19th-century Russian revolutionaries.

2. Categorical (Indiscriminate) Terrorism

  • Attacks groups perceived as belonging to specific social or ethnic categories, without regard to individual identities.

  • Revolutionaries do not distinguish among individuals; targets belong to categorically defined groups.

Key Theoretical Approaches to Terrorism

  1. Grievance-based Explanations

    • Root causes of terrorism linked to specific grievances.

    • Inadequate since not all grievances lead to terrorism.

  2. Weakness of Revolutionaries

    • Suggests that desperation drives groups to terrorism when other strategies fail.

    • Issues with empirical support and ignores strong revolutionary movements that still employ terrorism.

  3. Response to State Terrorism

    • Terrorism developed in response to state violence.

    • Empirical counterexamples present difficulty in universally applying this theory.

  4. Extreme Social Polarization

    • Suggests violence is more likely between culturally or socially distant groups.

    • Challenges arise in explaining group dynamics and motivations for terrorism.

The Concept of "Complicitous Civilians"

  • Defined as civilians who are perceived to support or benefit from governmental violence.

  • Revolutionaries target these civilians to disrupt their support for oppressive states.

Factors Influencing Categorical Terrorism

Contextual Factors

  1. Perception of Civilian Support for State Violence

    • High perception leads to increased likelihood of terrorist acts against civilians.

  2. Size and Vulnerability of the Complicitous Civilian Population

    • Larger and less protected civilian populations make more likely targets.

  3. Lack of Political Alliances

    • Weak alliances between revolutionaries and civilians increased likelihood of attacks.

Categorical Terrorism in Practice

  • Historical examples of revolutionary groups employing categorical terrorism:

    • Algeria: National Liberation Front utilized both categorical and selective terrorism during conflict.

    • Palestinian Groups: Engaged in both categories of terrorism during ongoing conflict.

    • LTTE in Sri Lanka: Employed various tactics including categorical terrorism.

  • Al-Qa'ida: Example of a transnational movement employing categorical terrorism strategically.

Conclusion

  • Al-Qa'ida's actions are framed within the context of its perception of U.S. support for oppressive regimes.

  • Targeting U.S. civilians viewed as justified due to the perception of civilian complicity in state violence.

  • Al-Qa'ida's strategy aligns with the theory of categorical terrorism, emphasizing a systemic connection between state violence and oppositional responses.