Violence and Terrorism Flashcards
Why does Rubinstein argue any attempts to define terrorism are ‘hopeless’?
Rubinstein states that “terrorism is just violence that you don’t like”, therefore making efforts to define it futile.
What can be considered as existing within the broad field of political violence?
Includes organised crime, assassinations, coups, ethnic cleansing, genocide, state violence, revolution, civil wars, interstate war and terrorism.
What is terrorism seen to be?
Terrorism is seen to be:
- Use or threatened use of violence
- Directed against victims selected for their representative or symbolic value
- To manipulate the perception and behaviour of a target audience (or audiences)
How is terrorism utilised? What is the purpose of targeting a specific actor meant to be?
Terrorism is always used with a target audience in mind… of a perpetrator attempting to extract an outcome/response from a particular target audience.
The victim is a means to an end… a target that can convey a message.
What is radicalism?
Radicalism is the desire for sweeping political change as a form of hostility against the status quo. Seek to restructure or overthrow outdated political structures without glorifying or necessarily resorting to violence
What is extremism?
Extremism is an anti-status quo and anti-establishment force that views politics as a struggle for supremacy rather than peaceful competition between parties seeking support for advancing the common good
According to Bale what 3 questions do ideologies ask?
Bale (2018) argues that ideology asks:
- What is wrong with the world?
- Who is responsible for those wrongs?
- What needs to be done?
What ideological categories of terrorist organisations are there?
Ethno-nationalist, anarchist, left wing, right wing and religious.
What were David Rapoport’s ‘Four Waves’ of prevalent ideological leanings among terror organisations? When did these occur?
Rapoport saw four waves of terror activity:
1. Anarchist Wave 1879-1914
2. Anticolonial Wave – 1920s-1960s
3. New Left Wave – 1960s-1980s
4. Religious Wave – 1980s-…
What does the decline of traditional extremism mean for the classification of terror groups today?
The decline of traditional extremism based around specific ideology has meant that it is harder today to classify terror groups and their motives today. Many terror actions are undertaken without a coherent ideology.
What is ‘salad bar extremism’?
Salad bar extremism refers to the fact that many terror actors today have a variety and mix of motivations behind their actions compared to previously ideologically coherent groups.
What is composite violent extremism?
Composite violent extremism refers to the increasingly difficult process of assigning labels to terror actors. Instead, terror actors and groups are composites of many different ideologies and motivations.
What is ambiguous composite violent extremism?
Ambiguous composite violent extremism is an amalgamation of prejudices, grievances, and subcultures that may undergird various extremist ideologies (e.g., misogyny, racism, antisemitism, conspiracy theories, or mass violence)
What is mixed composite violent extremism?
Mixed composite violent extremism is seen through multiple distinct and discernible ideologies alongside other prejudices, grievances, or subcultures.
What is fused composite violent extremism?
Fused composite violent extremism is where there is the presence of one clearly discernible ideology but fused with other distinct prejudices or grievances.
What is convergent composite violent extremism?
Convergent composite violent extremism is one distinct ideology that has convergent prejudices and grievances with other ideologies.
What is Anti-Government extremism?
Anti-Government extremism is instances of extremism that primarily or consistently focus on government as a source or cause of perceived crises, where that focus on government is central to the worldviews of the actors in question.
What is Right-Wing Anti-Government extremism? How does it differ between the US and Europe generally?
Right wing AGE centres on an anti-government vision based around white nationalism, white supremacy, antisemitism, (in the US) extreme libertarianism, and a belief in an imminent societal collapse.
In Europe, usually argued for a strong government, whereas US sees RW AGE argue for limited, even entirely absent government.
What is Left Wing Anti-Government Extremism? What ideas and movements does it revolve around?
Left Wing AGE mobilises around themes such as anti-fascism, anti-racism, workers’ rights, environmental protection, and critiques of technological progress.
What is ideological Anti-Government Extremism?
Ideological AGE is broadly opposed to government (or broadly opposed to particular governments).
What is issue-driven Anti-Government Extremism?
Issue-driven AGE revolves around opposition to a government because of a particular policy or stance on an issue.
With issue-driven Anti-Government Extremism, what impacts can changes in government or policy have?
It can be that changes in policy OR changes in government can quell an AGE movement, but equally it can lead to no change in stance.
Support for new leaders can grow among AGE actors, HOWEVER can still remain extremist opposed to government in GENERAL.
What role do conspiracy theories play in anti-government extremism?
Conspiracy theories can undermine the legitimacy of government, institutions, policies, and political opponents. It has been shown that conspiracy theories are increasingly responsible for terrorist attacks committed by individuals.
Describe conspiratorial politics
Conspiratorial politics revolves around secretive political activities that might encompass both clandestine and covert operations.
Groups of people that share a common goal of overthrowing or damaging political authorities.
