Why Terrorist Networks Maintain Viability within Today’s Modern Society.
Journal of Interdisciplinary Conflict Science
W hy Terrorist Networks Maintain Viability within Today's Modern Society.
Amy Guimond Ph.D Nova Southeastern University 0 1 2
Shawna Resnick M.S. 0 1 2
0 Cade Resnick Ph.D. Stetson University
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2 Nova Southeastern University
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Introduction
The use of terror as a strategy for wielding power is as old an idea as power itself. For
thousands of years, rulers have used terror as a tool to coerce others to comply with their
demands. Two recognizable examples of leaders who used terror as a governing tactic are Genghis
Khan, leader of the fierce Mongol Horde, and Maximilian Robespierre, the leader and inspiration
behind the Reign of Terror (1793-94), which occurred midway through the French Revolution.
What exactly does it mean to use terror as a tool for power? For Khan and Robespierre, terror
meant nothing more than to instill fear in others, or to refer back to the original Latin, “to make
[them] tremble.” However, in today's political arena, the concept of terrorism is harder to define.
The term terrorism is subjective; it has a variety of meanings to different groups of people
(Merari, 2007)
. Governments, academics, and the media all define terrorism differently depending
on the defining institutions purposes. What further complicates the definition of terrorism is that
the term itself has become derogatory in its usage detracting from the notion of terrorism as
simply a tool to achieve political ends
(Merari, 2007)
. In the academic community, there is a lack
of consensus about how to define terrorism (Terrorism, 2008). Though there are a variety of
working definitions regarding terrorism, for the purposes of this paper, when the term terrorism
is used, it is in reference to a tool used by individuals or groups who are trying to achieve a
political or ideological outcome
(Merari, 2007)
.
Terrorist movements are as varied as academics’ definitions of terrorism. The two most
common forms of terrorist movements are those focused on political terrorism and those that
are based in religious fundamentalism; it is important to note that these two forms are not the
same thing but often both religious and political aspirations are found within the same terrorist
movement
(Blin, 2007)
. Al Qaeda is a prime example of a terrorist movement that combines
political aspirations with a distinct religious undertone in its methods and ideologies
(Blin, 2007)
.
For example, one of Al Qaeda’s primary goals is to destroy Israel and the United States, a goal
that is both political and religious in nature
(Blin, 2007)
. The governments of these two states are
considered to be the antithesis of Al Qaeda’s beliefs; Al Qaeda is opposed to both of these states’
political democracy as well as their social and religious values which stem from their
JudeoChristian foundations. Hezbollah is another example of an organization that combines religious
and political motivations. Hezbollah considers itself the “Party of God” and operates under what
it claims is a literal interpretation of the word of God. To that end the organization sees its
mission as eliminating all non-Muslims from Muslim lands.
Through the execution of this mission, Hezbollah has moved from a guerrilla organization to a
mainstream political organization (Harik, 2005). Through an examination of the theories of
worldview and prejudice and by examining the psychology of terrorism, it becomes clear how
through different methodologies Al Qaeda and Hezbollah have developed into successful
organizations. While the methods the groups use are different, they pull from the concepts of
worldview and prejudice development to impact the psychology of their target populations and
to successfully implement their missions and create terror in their enemies.
Analysis of a Terrorist Perspective: World View Perspective
Worldview theory explains how and why people's perceptions and beliefs change over
time. According to Docherty (2001), each culture has its own unique worldview; however, the act
of developing worldviews and using them during decision making processes is universal. In
understanding worldviews it is important that we recognize that worldviews are composed of four
interrelated components: 1) ontology (our understanding about nature and our interrelatedness
with the universe); 2) a theory of world order (our understanding and beliefs of what exists and
how it is relative to the rest of the world); 3) axiology (an understanding of the universe based on
how important some parts are in relationship to others); and 4) epistemology (philosophy about
the extent we are able to know wha (...truncated)