Unit 02: Defining Terrorism Flashcards
The word “terrorism” dates from which century?
18th
What event was generally accepted as the first to be commonly referred to as “terrorism”?
The Reign of Terror in France from 1792-1794.
What formative notions as a political strategy grew during this time?
terror-tactics
Fill in the blanks:
“… an act committed in whole or in part for a _________, ________ or ___________ purpose, objective or cause with the intention of ___________the public… with regard to its security, including its
________security, or compelling a person, a government or a domestic or an international organization to do or to refrain from doing any act.”
-Criminal Code of Canada, Section 83.01
political, religious, ideological, intimidating, economic
Fill in the blanks using the word list at the bottom:
“The Government’s _____________ of threats must be _____, _______, and cannot be perceived as _________any groups. As we continue this review, it is apparent that in outlining a threat, it must be ______ linked to an ________ rather than a _________.”
-Public Safety Canada, 2019
Word List:
concise, communication, ideology, clear, community, clearly, maligning
Communication, clear, concise, maligning, clearly, ideology, community
True or False: There is a definition of terrorism that has been adopted widely
False - there is no single definition of terrorism
The lack of a common definition is characterized by different definitions of terrorism proposed/used by:
Governments
Individual agencies within governments
Private agencies
Academia
In his 2007 work on Emergency Management related terms, Wayne Blanchard identifies no fewer than how many different references that relate to defining terrorism?
14
Fill in the blanks:
Terrorism has a decidedly ________ meaning at present, so even those who commit extreme acts of political violence ____
___ perceive themselves as terrorists.
negative, will not
By most legal and political definitions, terrorism involves:
The use or threat of extraordinary violence
Goal-directed or rational behaviour
The intent to have a psychological impact broader than the immediate victims
The choice of victims for their symbolic, rather than their instrumental value
Fill in the blank:
Terrorism is a form of political violence in which terrorists have ________ objectives that they are attempting to achieve and have chosen ________ targets to ____ _________ to their cause.
specific, symbolic, draw attention
What do terrorists hope that their violence or their threat of violence conveys?
both a threat to a target audience and a political message.
What is often a result of social, political, or economic change?
Political violence, including terrorism
Those promoting the change use what in order to draw attention to their cause and dissuade opposition?
violence or threat of violence
Terrorists always claim what?
to champion noble causes
Terrorists always cite what for violence?
righteous goals and justifications
Terrorists maintain that they are what?
freedom fighters or revolutionaries.
Terrorism is committed by who?
groups and movements that resist the power of the state, but also by states (governments and their proxies) to keep groups under control.
The impact of terrorism today is not limited to what?
specific locales or region
What century is the age of globalized terrorism?
21st
How do terrorists see themselves, their acts, and targets?
highly symbolic
Hate groups sometimes resemble terrorist groups, but not all hate crimes are acts of terrorism. When is it seen as terrorism?
only when (symbolic) “undesirables” are targeted to “purify” society (political motive)
Terrorism does not have to be based on a violent act, so what is Bruce Hoffman’s definition?
the threat of violence may be enough for the “creation and exploitation of fear”
Terrorism does not have to be based on a violent act, so what is Walter Reich’s definition?
terrorism “instill[s] fear in the public at large”
Terrorism does not have to be based on a violent act, so what is Brian Jenkins’ definition?
terrorism ultimately seeks to effect “political change”
Who are the four participants in the terrorist environment?
the terrorist
the supporter
the victim
the target
Who or what is the terrorist in the terrorist enivironment?
the perpetrator of a politically violent incident
Who are what is the supporter in the terrorist environment?
The person, people, and organizations that provide a supportive environment
Who or what is the victim in the terrorist environment?
the victims of violence
Who or what is the target in the terrorist environment?
someone who is usually symbolic, represents some features of the enemy, can be human or property, and can be a soft or hard target.
What is Extremism a precursor to?
Terrorism
Extremists hold beliefs that exceed limits of what average people hold to be true in terms of what?
practical applicability, and emotional resonance.
Extremism can manifest itself in many ways, but only those who chose what are labelled terrorists?
violent expression
What are the common characteristics of violent extremists?
Intolerance, Moral absolutes, broad conclusions, new language and conspiratorial beliefs
To understand the roots of terrorism is to understand the nature of political violence, there are three possible ways, what are they?
as a strategic choice
as the fruit of injustice
moral justifications for political violence
Fill in the blank:
Most experts agree that a blanket presumption that terrorists are mentally ill or insane is _________, and evidence shows that an individual’s decision to apply such violence may be explained as “________” or ______.
incorrect, rational, normal
