Terrorism - What's Your Definition? ( Archived) (73)

Albertaghost: Seems everybody has their own definition with which to qualify terrorism from other actions such as military intervention and insurgent actions. What is the tried and true definition you use to define if an action is terrorism or something else?

To start off, this is the one I go by these days;

"Terrorism is an anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-)clandestine individual, group, or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal, or political reasons, whereby—in contrast to assassination—the direct targets of violence are not the main targets. The immediate human victims of violence are generally chosen randomly (targets of opportunity) or selectively (representative or symbolic targets) from a target population, and serve as message generators. Threat- and violence-based communication processes between terrorist (organization), (imperiled) victims, and main targets are use to manipulate the main target (audience(s), turning it into a target of terror, a target of demands, or a target of attention, depending on whether intimidation, coercion, or propaganda is primarily sought"

I use it as it has the core things I believe terrorism has pretty much most of the time - different tiers of victims, audience and targets (eg: random victims of initial violence, media, government), the type of action involved and the use of propaganda to elevate the action beyond it's proportions. This sets terrorism apart from most actions of a violent type in war as it's intent is to not create a military or territorial tactical victory but rather a round about campaign of pressure on a party or government that is not directly attacked.

As well, a military action's purpose is to destroy or occupy by force whereas terrorism's intent is to pressure a state by indirect means to acquiesce control so that a condition favorable to those enabling or committing the terrorism can take place.

blarneykite: "One man's Terrorist, is another man's freedom fighter".

Albertaghost: Seems everybody has their own definition with which to qualify terrorism from other actions such as military intervention and insurgent actions. What is the tried and true definition you use to define if an action is terrorism or something else?

To start off, this is the one I go by these days;

"Terrorism is an anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-)clandestine individual, group, or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal, or political reasons, whereby—in contrast to assassination—the direct targets of violence are not the main targets. The immediate human victims of violence are generally chosen randomly (targets of opportunity) or selectively (representative or symbolic targets) from a target population, and serve as message generators. Threat- and violence-based communication processes between terrorist (organization), (imperiled) victims, and main targets are use to manipulate the main target (audience(s), turning it into a target of terror, a target of demands, or a target of attention, depending on whether intimidation, coercion, or propaganda is primarily sought"

I use it as it has the core things I believe terrorism has pretty much most of the time - different tiers of victims, audience and targets (eg: random victims of initial violence, media, government), the type of action involved and the use of propaganda to elevate the action beyond it's proportions. This sets terrorism apart from most actions of a violent type in war as it's intent is to not create a military or territorial tactical victory but rather a round about campaign of pressure on a party or government that is not directly attacked.

As well, a military action's purpose is to destroy or occupy by force whereas terrorism's intent is to pressure a state by indirect means to acquiesce control so that a condition favorable to those enabling or committing the terrorism can take place.

mnowsa: Do u want a definition manufactured (after years of "objective" and "extensive" research of course) at the headquarters of CIA, MOSAD, RAW and MI6(or MI5?), or a definition by those "stupid' philanthropists?

Grandepensees: Terrorism:
The act of terrorizing!

Albertaghost: I'm terrified when I get a bill in the mail but would hardly think the local power company is Al Qaeda or run by Bin Laden. Got anything more subject specific?