What is Terrorism?

Cassandra Monteiro

Global Politics of Terrorism

Professor Shirk

February 5^th 2018

What is Terrorism?

            Terrorism occurs when a weak person or group of people who are involved in a struggle of power premeditate an attack against a more powerful nation-state with the aim of inflicting terror and fear among the group and people involved or within. Terrorists use violence with attempts of getting their beliefs and ideas across to others. Terrorism occurs when the group or person is rebelling the current state and aims to get a response from the one’s in power. Motive is one of the main keys in defining terrorism as there has to be a political or power motive involved. Terrorism is not just a random attack for no reason, it is often made very clear what the reason for the attack is as one of the goals is to get a response from the people being attacked and for changes to be made.

            Terrorism was not always as big of a concern as it currently is, but has definitely existed for quite a while in many different forms. In reading David Rapoports The Four Waves of Rebel Terror and September 11 I was informed of the way terrorism has formed into what it is today over the centuries, though the definition of terrorism has pretty much remained the same throughout the changes in our world. Motives may not all be the same but all involve some type of power struggle for political power. He uses examples of terrorism in which there was political violence against non-military targets by non-state actors. The first wave he mentions is the “Anarchist Wave” occurring during the 1880’s in which political assassinations were acted out by non-state actors. Their aims were to eliminate the organized government and hierarchy. This provides an example for the definition of terrorism because these groups were attempting to make changes within the government by inflicting terror and assassinating those in power. This was threatening to those who held any sort of power at the time of these attacks and inflicted fear. The second wave was the “Anti-Colonial Wave” which took place during the 1920’s. These terrorists used guerilla warfare tactics to inform those in power that they wanted their own government. Rebelling the state that their countries were currently in and aiming to make changes within. Again, a group of people who hold a low power status are aiming to change the political structure of a powerful state by using terror and violence. The third wave was the “New Left Wave” which was based off of nationalism. An example given for this kind of terrorism was the IRA. The Irish Republican Army was using threatening tactics in order to present the idea of a unified Ireland under Irish rule rather than British rule. This example again shows a group of people who were involved in a power struggle inflicting terror on a more powerful state in order to get a response. The final wave according to Rapoport is the “Religious Wave” which still exists today. In a time where religious identity is rather important to many, those religious groups with lesser power or less of a following target a government in order to recruit members and also to express their feelings about creating a place where all members of that religion can come together. The states that they attack are the ones in which they blame for the national lines that do not allow for this to happen and often America is a target. This example is what we often think of today when we hear the word terrorism, and the most recent attacks of terrorism have been a part of this wave including the 9/11 attack constructed by Osama bin Laden and attacks from ISIS.

            Terrorism can come from within or without of the powerful nation-state being attacked. There are many cases where terrorist groups attack their own government and country for the fact that they do not agree with the current state. This is called national terrorism as it takes place within the country without any foreign involvement, the Oklahoma City Bombing is an example of this type of terrorism. It can also come from people from other parts of the world who do not agree with the government of another country. This is international terrorism and an example of this is the September 11^th attack.

            There have been many arguments recently in which people have argued that we tend to stereotype who a terrorist could be and what they may look like. In reality, it could be anyone. A terrorist can be someone of any race, any gender, or any age. People have argued in the case of the recent Las Vegas shooting that people strayed away from calling the shooter a terrorist simply because he was white. In reality he could have very well been a terrorist though we are not completely sure of his motives. Which brings up the importance of motive in relation to what terrorism is. Sometimes it can be hard to determine the motive of an attack or shooting but often times in the case of terrorism the terrorist makes their motive very clear in order to get a reaction.

            Terrorism is not a random attack which is pursued for no reason. Not every murder or shooting is an act of terrorism There has to be a motive involved in the situation, and it has to be for a political reason or a reason of power. The state departments definition agrees with this idea of terrorism being pursued for political reasons defining it as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives".  The objective and motive of the attack is the key to defining something as an act of terrorism.

            Acts of terrorism can range from being a small act to larger more serious acts. Someone can kill one person with the motive being political and this would be an act of terrorism. The reason is because it is threatening and inflicts fear onto others, and of course the key is the motive. After this act people may not feel safe, and would fear the terrorists. The country would most likely be forced to take precautions and make changes to protect their citizens. On the other hand, someone can go as far as bombing civilians of that country leaving many injured or dead, and this is also considered terrorism. There are a range of acts with different levels of seriousness that someone can commit to be a terrorist. So long as they are inflicting terror and threatening someone or some group having the motive and goals of political changes.

            Terrorism can happen anywhere, at any place, and any time. In reading Terror, Terrorism, and Terrorists by Charles Tilly he mentioned that former secretary of state Colin Powell said “In this global campaign against terrorism, no country has the luxury of remaining on the sidelines. There are no sidelines. Terrorists respect no limits, geographic or moral. The frontlines are everywhere and the stakes are high. Terrorism not only kills people. It also threatens democratic institutions, undermines economies, and destabilizes regions”. Tilly goes on to speak about terrorism as a tactic or strategy used to inflict terror with the attempt to achieve a political goal. An attack makes a target look vulnerable as Tilly mentions “In addition to whatever harm it inflicts directly, it sends signals- signals that the target is vulnerable, that the perpetrators exist, and that the perpetrators have the capacity to strike again. The signals typically reach three different audiences: the targets themselves, potential allies of the perpetrators, and third parties that might cooperate with one or the other” (Tilly, 9). The terror inflicted on a group has long lasting effects that are rather hard to overcome. A constant fear can be instilled within the people living in this group.

            There are many effects of terrorism on a society. One of the main things a terrorist attack effects in the economy. Attacks can lead to the death of many citizens, and can also damage buildings and infrastructures within the area. A lot of money goes into rebuilding these structures and buildings as well as getting the businesses within up and running again. The government will more than likely have to put a lot of effort into protection measures making sure another attack does not happen. Terrorism also has societal impacts as it poses law and order issues creating suspicion and fear within the society and leaving the civilians worried. Terrorism also makes politics more difficult as they always have to consider the idea of an attack and the impact it could have on the world.

            Though there are so many different definitions and ideas about terrorism it has become a more prevalent feature in today’s world and all though the main motives may have changed over time the key to a terrorist attack is the involvement it has within politics and power. Their aim is to inflict fear within a society to attempt changes in political concepts and ideals and this is the most important concept in defining what terrorism is. As far who it is, it can be anybody. There are so many cases when terrorism comes unexpected. These groups or people go through so much planning and detail to make sure everything goes correctly and that their point comes across clearly. It can be a national attack and come from within its own country or can be international coming from as far as the other side of the world. Though the acts can range in size and seriousness there are almost always economic, social, and political effects involved with a terrorist attack.

Works Cited

Bobbit, Phillip. Terror and Consent: The Wars for the Twenty-First Century. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.

Rappoport, Michael. “The Four Waves of Rebel Terror and September 11”. Anthropoetics: The

            Journal of Generative Anthropology. UCLA. Accessed February 4, 2018.

            http://anthropoetics.ucla.edu/ap0801/terror/

Tilly, Charles. “Terror, Terrorism, Terrorists.” Sociological Theory, vol. 22, no. 1, 2004, pp. 5–13

Stampnitzky, Lisa. Disciplining Terror: How Experts Invented “Terrorism” Cambridge:

            Cambridge University Press.