Does terrorism create terror?

Abstract

The conceptual and etymological meaning of the terms 'terror' and 'terrorism' is so closely connected that it seems difficult to distinguish the one from the other. However, by comparing the idea that terrorism inevitably creates terror with the results of recent empirical studies of the psychological effects of terrorist attacks, four different points of view emerge corresponding to four distinct interpretations of the results. It is thus clearly necessary to redefine the terminology relating to terrorism, in order to conduct the discussion on a more rigorous basis.

Reading anonymity: Narrative difference and framework selection in the claiming of terrorist violence

“…In contributing to the formulation of attack definition, interpretation, and response, journalists are implicated in terrorists’ decision to claim violence. Such groups are rarely capable of keeping a population in a permanent state of fear (Schmid and Jongman, 1988: 19); the duration and reach of fear is limited (Rapin, 2009: 168), and regular violence often results in desensitization. With its ambiguous problem framework, the unclaimed attack narrative provides a new action space to perpetuate the lasting effects of terrorism without the desensitizing effect of constant violence.…”

“…Schmid and Jongman (1988) concede that terrorist groups are rarely capable of keeping a whole population in a permanent state of fear (Rapin, 2009, p.167);Horgan (2005) notes that terror will not be achieved unless we, personally, are the subjects of an attack (p.14), and even then that the duration of this fear is limited (Rapin 2009). This lends itself to the conundrum that terrorists desire to propagate fear amongst the target population, but: (1) it is limited to the subjects of attack (2) it fades rapidly after an attack (3) continual attacks result in mass desensitization and adaptation to violence.…”

La representación de las mujeres terroristas y víctimas del terrorismo en prensa española. El caso de El País

“…Seducida una mujer para que -al haber mantenido relaciones sexuales-su honra se vea mermada, pierda el respeto público y familiar en sociedades rigoristas, y quede debilitada emocionalmente, se la induce a quitarse la vida y, a veces, se llega a violarla para facilitar el proceso (Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, 2002;Rivas, 2008). El suicidio permite a la mujer recuperar el honor perdido y da ventaja táctica al grupo terrorista, lo nutre de combatientes eficaces y prescindibles a un muy reducido coste, aumenta el efecto propagandístico y la posibilidad de nuevos reclutamientos (Rivas, 2013;Rao y Weerasinghe, 2011;Rapin, 2009;Toros, 2009), ya sea en Palestina, en Siria e Irak, o en el África sometida a Boko Haram (Adegbulu, 2013: 260-273) o a Al Shabab (Rodríguez, 2013: 1-9). Además, el nivel de formación de las suicidas es bajo pues, el grueso de ellas, tiene solo educación básica -y quizá esto facilita el proceso anteriormente descrito-aunque suelen tener mejor formación que los hombres de su organización.…”

Everyday terrorism

“…There is relatively little empirical attention to the experiential, emotional and everyday dimensions of global terrorism (Pain, 2010;Rapin, 2009). Domestic violence is intimately bound, too, into national and global politics, and profoundly shaped by state and social responses.…”

“…Terrorism is rare in most parts of the world, and especially the western countries that are the focus of much of this research; geographers’ emphasis has been on the impacts of the threat and fear of global terrorism on international relations and domestic governance, including the state terrorism that some western governments perpetrate or support as part of their response. There is relatively little empirical attention to the experiential, emotional and everyday dimensions of global terrorism (Pain, 2010; Rapin, 2009). Domestic violence is intimately bound, too, into national and global politics, and profoundly shaped by state and social responses.…”