Books

Enough of the Definition of Terrorism

September 2000

In 1977 Walter Laqueur predicted accurately that �disputes about a detailed, comprehensive definition of terrorism will continue for a long time, they will not result in a consensus and they will make no notable contribution towards the understanding of terrorism.� Attempts to incorporate the many manifestations of terrorism within a single definition were doomed from the start. The term �terrorism� has been applied across the whole spectrum of political violence and over the centuries of history. It has been applied to times of war and of peace; to the actions of states, groups, and individuals; to actions against liberal states and actions against repressive states and dictatorships. To treat terrorism as a general concept separates the action from its context, and consequently from its intention and its justification. Almost a quarter of a century after Laqueur�s prophetic words, Omar Malik�s paper charts a route out of the definitional log-jam. It provides the important first steps both to understanding terrorism and to formulating a proper response.

Author(s): Omar Malik

Paperback Price: £12.5
ISBN: 1-86203-127-4

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